MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants the independent commission that would investigate irregularities in flood control projects to have subpoena power, Malacañang said Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Malacañang was finalizing an executive order creating the commission with the authority to issue subpoenas or summon individuals involved in order to carry out the probe effectively.

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"The President wants the independent commission to have the subpoena power," Castro said in a Palace press briefing.

"The President wants the independent commission to be empowered, to be given teeth, so that it can better carry out its mandate," she added.

Marcos had ordered a thorough investigation into flood control projects in the past three years after personally confirming some infrastructure projects to be either substandard or nonexistent.