Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan expressed his willingness to create a law that will give “subpoena powers” to the independent body that will probe the anomalous flood control projects.
The senator made the offer via a Facebook post on Friday, September 5, sharing a screenshot of a news item about President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s plan to give subpoena powers to the flood control probe commission.
Pangilinan explained that while the President “has the power to create an independent commission under the Administrative Code,” only Congress or the Judiciary—and not the Executive—can provide subpoena powers by way of a law or internal rules to an independent commission.
“If the President creates such a body, we are willing to author a law to provide the commission such subpoena powers, otherwise, such a commission may not be able to compel the attendance of witnesses nor the submission of documents and as such become ineffective,” he wrote.
His comment came after Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro revealed that Malacañang is finalizing an executive order (EO) that will create the commission with the authority to issue subpoenas or summon individuals involved in the anomalous flood control deals.
The creation of the commission and any subsequent subpoena powers that will be given to it come on the heels of the investigations being conducted in the Senate and House of Representatives regarding the multi-million ghost or substandard infrastructure project.
Pangilinan has repeatedly called out government officials and contractors involved in the deals, and fully backs an independent commission he said should be headed by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.
“Heads should roll, at dapat mauwi itong flood control scam sa plunder cases filed before the Ombudsman,” he added in another Facebook post.