Prelate questions Congress probes
Caloocan Bishop Cardinal Pablo David, incumbent president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), questioned over the weekend the credibility of the congressional investigations of corruption arising from public works projects.
In a pastoral letter released Saturday, the CBCP president questioned the credibility of the inquiries in both the Senate and House of Representatives, saying,
“How credible are these inquiries when the very institutions conducting them are themselves implicated?” the CBCP president said in a pastoral letter released Saturday, referring to inquiries in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
“Who inserted these projects into the national budget as pork, often at the expense of education, health, and social programs?” he asked.
The cardinal issued the pastoral letter as members of the House of Representatives defended each other and tried to blame the executive department for the controversial flood control projects that President Marcos himself made public.
At the same time, Senate President Francis Escudero admitted that Centerways Construction and Development Inc., one of the 15 construction firms included in the President’s expose, contributed to Escudero’s 2022 campaign.
The President earlier announced that he is preparing to sign an executive order creating an independent commission to investigate the scandal, but both houses of Congress have resisted attempts to shut down their ongoing probes, which are essentially “in aid of legislation” anyway.
According to David, the term “shame” repeatedly mentioned in the investigation on flood control anomalies should be inclusive of “legislators, district engineers, government auditors, and political patrons [who] also share in the plunder.”
He pointed out that private contractors and financiers who collude in the alleged anomalies are equally guilty.
“The prophet Isaiah’s words still sting: ‘Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and run after gifts.’ (Isaiah 1:23),” he emphasized.
The CBCP president called on the public to demand visible accountability, such as “quick audits, real penalties, and transparency that people can see.”
“Accountability must apply to both public officials and private contractors. Blacklisting is not enough; collusion in corruption is a crime and must be punished,” David said.
“If floodwaters rise because public funds are stolen, the greater flood is corruption itself, drowning our nation’s future. Yet God promises: ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.’ (Isaiah 43:2),” David said.
“True justice demands more than punishment. It also calls for restitution: that stolen wealth be returned to the public coffers from which it was taken. Many of those implicated will not be impoverished by such reparation, yet the nation remains poor if the funds are not restored,” David said.
“Retribution in this sense is not personal vengeance but the rightful act of giving back what was stolen, so that the people may finally benefit from resources meant for their welfare,” the cardinal said.
“Let us rise above the floods of corruption together. Let justice roll down like waters across our land. Let us rebuild our nation on truth, justice, and the common good,” he added.
