Pres. Bongbong Marcos Orders Creation of Independent Commission to Probe Flood Control Projects Issue
BONGBONG MARCOS – Malacañang announced that the President wants the independent commission for the flood control probe to have subpoena power.
Amid the flood control projects issue in the Philippines, the Department of Public Works and Highways earned massive criticisms. Not only Marcos Jr. but as well as countless Filipinos were left disappointed by the ‘ghost’ and substandard flood control projects in several areas across the nation.
Amid the issue, then-Public Works Chief Manuel Bonoan resigned from his position. He was replaced by former Department of Transportation Secretary and now DPWH Chief Vince Dizon who confirmed that he will order the “courtesy resignation” of all officials of the agency in the position.
Furthermore, Vince Dizon also confirmed that he will abolish the internal investigation committee of the DPWH. According to him, he does not believe that an agency can probe itself. He stressed that they will just forward information relevant to the issue to the independent commission tasked to probe the matter.
The new DPWH Secretary, based on a report on ABS-CBN News, also vowed that he will “erase red flags” in the proposed budget of the agency for 2026. His statement came after the President ordered a “sweeping review” of the DPWH’s budget proposal for next year.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos previously confirmed that his office is already drafting the executive order for the creation of an independent commission that will probe the anomalous flood control projects funded by the government. Then, he admitted that they have yet to finalize the structure like how many people will be members of the said commission.
Recently, Malacañang spoke on the independent commission that Pres. Bongbong Marcos wants to create amid the issue of anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines. According to Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro, the President wants the independent commission to have a subpoena power, the authority to compel a person to attend to a probe.
”Noon po ay sinasabi po natin na mukhang walang subpoena power. Pero ang nais po ng Pangulo sa nasabing independent commission ay mabigyan po ng lakas, mabigyan ng ngipin para po mas mapatupad kung ano ang mandato ng independent commission na ito. At nais po ng Pangulo na magkaroon po ng subpoena power ang independent commission,” Castro said.
Furthermore, the Palace official also confirmed that the independent commission that Pres. Bongbong Marcos has ordered to be formed amid the flood control issue in the country is already being finalized.
Amid the issue, Malacañang issued a statement against the claim of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte that the Marcos Jr. admin might be “cooking something” while the attention of the public is on the issue.