Minority lawmaker Cong. Leila De Lima criticized Malacañang’s statement that the decision on the future of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) now rests with the commission itself.
De Lima said it appears that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. no longer wants the ICI to continue, after the president said he would leave the commission’s fate in its own hands.
In an X post, De Lima described it as “utter nonsense” for the president to pass on the decision about the ICI’s future simply by claiming that it is an “independent body.”
She questioned how the commission could decide on such an important matter and continue its operations when it currently has only one commissioner.
De Lima stressed that since the ICI was created through an Executive Order, the president has the responsibility to ensure its proper and effective functioning by appointing people to vacant positions and providing sufficient support.
She added that Malacañang’s statement—that the ICI only needs to say what it requires for the administration to help—is unacceptable.
In closing, the lawmaker pointed out that the president has yet to certify as urgent the proposed ICAIC/IPC Law, which she said would have significantly strengthened the ICI.
