The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), led by Chairperson and retired Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr., announced that the commission will begin livestreaming its hearings on the alleged irregularities in flood control projects starting next week.
This marks a shift from the ICI’s earlier stance of keeping its proceedings private to avoid “trial by publicity,” as stated previously by ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka.
“ICI is only 39 days old. For the last 21 days we only had three lawyers, now we have some volunteers from PAO [Public Attorney’s Office] and from the other agencies but we will try our best to be able to full blast investigation of all these fraud,” Reyes said during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, October 22.
He admitted that the ICI is still building its operational capacity but emphasized their commitment to transparency.
“We don’t have the facility and we don’t have the rules of procedures… In spite of no rules allowing us, we will now go on livestream next week once we will be able to have the technical capability with us already. Again, I repeat we will be doing livestream next week,” Reyes declared.
Senator Kiko Pangilinan welcomed the announcement, saying that livestreaming the proceedings would promote public awareness and accountability.
“That’s a welcome news that the ICI will do the livestreaming of its proceedings. People would like to know the facts of these cases and would like to be updated as to the developments and progress of the investigation. A livestreaming of the proceedings would definitely address this concern of the public,” Pangilinan said.
The senator was among those who earlier urged the ICI to make its probe public.
“Please do not test the people’s patience with this misplaced refusal to open your proceedings to public scrutiny,” he previously appealed.