Livestream ICI probe, but ensure no trial by publicity

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will soon livestream its hearings into the alleged corruption in flood control projects, undeniably a response to public clamor for transparency.

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The move has both its advantages and disadvantages.

By opening hearings to livestream, the ICI sends a strong signal that no transaction, no testimony, no contractor-official handshake is beyond public view.

In societies where corruption has metastasized quietly behind closed doors, the glare of public scrutiny can act as a deterrent. Livestreaming hearings lifts the veil of secrecy and gives ordinary Filipinos access to the proceedings. It allows citizens to watch for themselves whether the institution is fulfilling its mandate to investigate, challenge, and hold to account. Moreover, livestreaming aids credibility and can help restore trust in the process.

If the hearings happen behind locked doors, suspicions rise. Is there something concealed or is the entire probe genuine?

Yet as Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian cautioned, public hearings are not panaceas. “People tend to act differently when there’s a public audience. These commissioners—they’re human too—and if there’s already a public watching, their demeanor or approach might change,” he warned.