Malacañang said it welcomes efforts in the Senate to institutionalize the Independent Commission on Investigations (ICI), stressing that the administration remains committed to strengthening mechanisms that ensure accountability in government.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro responded to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s plan to file a formal request for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent Senate Bill 1215, which seeks to establish the independent people’s commission.

“It is likely that lawmakers themselves saw the importance of what the President has done in creating the independent commission,” Castro said.

“We welcome all measures that would make the ICI stronger, because it has only one goal: to hold accountable those who must be held accountable," she added.

Asked whether Sotto had already reached out to the Chief Executive regarding his request, Castro said there was “no personal knowledge” of any communication so far but noted that the matter could be clarified soon.

She added that the President would be open to supporting such a move “especially if it would further strengthen the commission’s mandate.”

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla earlier announced the formation of a Department of Justice (DOJ) task force to investigate flood control anomalies following the report of at least three suspected ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.

When asked if this new task force might overlap with or conflict with the work of the ICI, Castro clarified that the two bodies would complement each other.

“The ICI has the authority to collaborate with, and call upon, any government agency to assist in its investigation, including the NBI and other law enforcement agencies,” she explained.

“The DOJ’s task force will not contradict the mission of the ICI. Rather, it can help expedite cases based on previous findings and, if warranted, immediately file charges — something the ICI will not oppose,” Usec. Castro added.

The Palace stressed that the administration’s initiatives — from the creation of the ICI to parallel efforts of agencies like the DOJ — are aligned toward a single purpose: ensuring truth, transparency, and accountability in government projects, particularly in light of anomalies uncovered in public infrastructure spending.