Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III hopes for the swift enactment of the Independent People’s Commission or IPC Bill, which will expand the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) current powers in conducting investigations.

Under the bill, first proposed in August, investigations will no longer be limited to flood-control anomalies, instead uncovering corruption in other guises, such as other government projects like farm-to-market roads and irrigation systems reported RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas.

However, the bill has a sunset provision that makes it effective only until 2028, when the Marcos administration ends.

“IPC naman na gusto namin is August pa ‘yun finile ko na, e, diba. Kaya talaga namang that will give the ICI now, ika nga, more power and will be institutionalized. Siyempre, ang plano naman namin dito sa IPC, dapat ito may sunset provision din ‘to, if it’s not going to be confined to infrastructure. It can go investigate also on agriculture, internal revenue, and the NIA and all that,” Sotto said.

Senate Committee on Justice Chair Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also hopes that Commissioner Rogelio “Babes” Singson’s resignation from the independent probe body will fast-track the approval of the bill.

ICI Chair Andres Reyes announced Singson’s resignation on Wednesday, saying the “very intense” and “stressful work” of the commission was taking a toll on the former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary’s health.