MANILA, Philippines — A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the constitutionality of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is investigating corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects.
In a 22-page petition, John Barry Tayam, who identified himself as a high school teacher, said the creation of the ICI has legal defects that mirror issues previously struck down by the SC, like its violation of the constitutional provisions on equal protection and separation of powers.
Tayam explained that the structure and mandate of the ICI presented issues “almost identical to those raised concerning the Philippine Truth Commission,” which the SC previously declared unconstitutional for violation of the equal protection clause.
The PTC, created during the second Aquino administration, was tasked to investigate the alleged corruption and cheating scandals of the Arroyo administration.