Anti-graft advocates urge reforms beyond Duterte impeachment trial

BAGUIO CITY — The fight against corruption should not end with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, as corruption is deeply rooted in the country’s political and economic systems and requires sweeping institutional reforms, lawyers and anti-corruption advocates said.

Speaking at the Talakayang Bayan forum on Saturday, July 4, ahead of the resumption of Senate impeachment proceedings, Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares said holding officials accountable through impeachment is only one step toward dismantling a system that has enabled corruption for decades.

“The fight against corruption does not end with the impeachment. We should demand systemic change to alleviate the lives of the Filipino masses,” Colmenares said.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Sara Duterte’s political future at stake as trial opens

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

He argued that widespread poverty makes Filipinos vulnerable to corruption, while weak accountability mechanisms allow the misuse of public funds regardless of which political bloc is in power.

For Colmenares, the impeachment should not be viewed as a political battle between the Marcos and Duterte camps but as a matter of safeguarding taxpayers’ money.

“If public funds were stolen, it should not matter whether you support Duterte, Marcos or Leni. That is the people’s money,” he said.

He said Duterte must explain the reported disbursement of P125 million in confidential funds within 11 days, as well as the use of hundreds of millions more in confidential funds in 2023.

Article continues after this advertisement

Colmenares cited the pork barrel scandal as proof that corruption has persisted despite public outrage and criminal prosecutions.

“During the PDAF issue where Napoles bagged millions of public funds, it was just P10 million then, and we were enraged. Today we are talking about billions of public funds stolen,” he said.

Article continues after this advertisement

He recalled that Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. were among the lawmakers charged in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam. Although both later returned to public office, they are again facing corruption allegations involving flood-control projects.

“With the PDAF issue, three senators were jailed. When they were released, they came back with a vengeance,” Colmenares said, arguing that recurring large-scale corruption points to a systemic problem rather than isolated acts by individual officials.

Because corruption is institutional, he said, the response must also be systemic.

Colmenares called for reforms in government budgeting, genuine agrarian reform, the passage of a genuine anti-political dynasty law, a stronger Freedom of Information law, amendments to the Party-list Law, and the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law and the Electric Power Industry Reform Act. He also urged reform of the electoral, political and justice systems, including the prosecution of officials implicated in corruption and human rights violations.

Drawing from his experience as a three-term Bayan Muna representative, Colmenares said sustained public pressure can compel Congress to enact reforms.

“There are many instances when Congress passed measures it initially opposed because of strong public clamor,” he said, stressing that meaningful reforms are won through sustained action in the courts, Congress and the streets.

Meanwhile, lawyer Howard Calleja expressed confidence that House prosecutors have built a strong impeachment case against Duterte.

He described the evidence as “rock solid,” saying lawmakers took a more deliberate approach after the Supreme Court dismissed an earlier impeachment complaint on constitutional grounds.

Among the evidence he cited were the alleged misuse of confidential funds, questionable acknowledgment receipts bearing names such as “Mary Grace Piattos” and “Wency Tempura,” Duterte’s public threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and the House Speaker, and other allegations contained in the articles of impeachment.

Calleja urged senator-judges to decide the case based on evidence rather than political affiliations.

“Do not look at personalities or political parties. Look at the weight of the evidence,” he said.

READ: Gatchalian calls Duterte trial ‘historic’; vows to protect Senate

He also appealed to the public not to reduce the impeachment proceedings to a clash between rival political camps.

“This is not a fight between families, parties or religions. This is about the Filipino people, public funds, transparency and accountability,” Calleja said.

READ: On eve of impeachment trial, Sara Duterte prays for father’s return

Colmenares said public participation will be crucial not only in the impeachment trial but also in achieving long-term reforms.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

He urged Filipinos to hold elected officials accountable and continue pushing for systemic reforms, saying democracy depends on citizens who remain actively engaged in governance long after election day./coa