MANILA — Malacañang assured that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was created to investigate alleged anomalies in flood control projects, will collaborate with other government agencies rather than duplicate their efforts.

“Ang ICI po ay binigyan ng kapangyarihan upang makipag-collaborate, upang tawagin ang anumang ahensiya ng gobyerno na maaaring makatulong sa pag-iimbestiga,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing.

Castro noted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are also set to conduct separate inquiries.

“Kasama na rin diyan ang NBI at ang iba pong mga law enforcement agencies. At ang gagawin ng DOJ ay hindi naman po sila gagawa ng maaaring kumontra o mag-overlap sa adhikain at misyon ng ICI,” she said.

The DOJ earlier announced the creation of a special task force to look into corruption and bid-rigging in flood control projects.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon will chair the Public Works Corruption and Bid-Rigging Task Force, with the NBI’s Public Corruption Division serving as lead investigator.

Responding to questions on whether the DOJ task force may conflict with the ICI’s work, Castro said the initiatives will be complementary.

“Malamang at maaari nating masabi, ang gagawin pong task force na ito ay para mapabilis ang mga nauna nilang naimbestigahan. Kung mayroon na silang naimbestigahan noon, maaari na agad magsampa ng kaso, at hindi naman ito tututulan ng ICI,” she said.