The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has warned public officials against using the Senate’s current leadership turmoil to weaken or redirect investigations into corruption in flood control projects, saying such a move would ‘heighten public suspicion of a cover-up.’
In a statement on Monday, October 6, CBCP President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said the public is watching closely amid several unanswered questions into the alleged multibillion-peso anomalies in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects despite weeks of hearings.
‘After the revelations of massive anomalies in flood control projects, any move to change Senate leadership or redirect investigations now would only heighten public suspicion of a cover-up,’ the CBCP statement read.
The CBCP also called on all public officials to uphold the integrity of the ongoing inquiries and allow the newly formed Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to ‘investigate fully and freely, without political interference from any branch of government.’
Lacson’s resignation
The CBCP statement comes after Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said over the weekend that he would submit today his resignation as chair of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon committee, which has been conducting an inquiry into irregularities in flood control allocations.
Lacson, in stepping down from his chairmanship, cited the ‘disappointment’ of several colleagues over his handling of the hearings.
His exit has fueled talks of another leadership shake-up, barely a month after Sen. Chiz Escudero was replaced by Senate President Tito Sotto III.
Sen. JV Ejercito earlier told reporters he and four other senators had considered leaving the majority bloc after the Lacson-led Blue Ribbon committee started to turn its focus on senators involved in the anomalies in flood control projects.
Lacson had earlier revealed that nearly all senators had inserted at least P100 billion worth of items in the 2025 budget, much of it for DPWH projects. That disclosure, according to some senators, risked damaging the Senate’s collective reputation.
Budget insertions themselves are not anomalous. However, the practice of doing so has drawn controversy as it has been abused to allegedly funnel billions of pesos into projects that are either non-existent (ghost projects) or subject to kickbacks.
Lacson’s resignation is now widely seen as an attempt to prevent instability in the upper chamber, appease the majority and, in effect, keep Sotto at the top.
Speculation over another leadership change has been growing as reports alleged some senators were considering backing Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for the top post.
Within the Senate, however, senators have denied that Cayetano was poised to take over. Lacson has also dismissed the rumors as ‘rehashed psywar tactics intended to sow intrigue among members of the majority.’
‘Let the truth flow freely’
In its statement, the CBCP called on both Congress and Malacañang to demonstrate that they ‘serve the common good, not partisan power.’
‘We strongly oppose any attempt to pre-empt or derail the investigation through backroom deals, leadership takeovers, or selective justice,’ the statement added. ‘A nation cannot heal when its moral arteries are clogged by corruption and self-interest.’
They warned that attempts to sidestep the inquiry or silence investigators would only deepen public cynicism about corruption and erode confidence in the government’s anti-graft efforts.
The bishops also called for protection of whistleblowers and technical personnel ‘who come forward in good faith,’ noting that many such workers had been exposed to harassment or political pressure in past investigations.
‘No to a whitewash. Yes to full accountability,’ the statement declared. ‘Only through truth can our nation begin to rebuild trust and ensure that flood control no longer becomes another flood of corruption.’
The CBCP also expressed support for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure – the body the president created last month to investigate corruption in public works – but emphasized that its hearings must be open to the public.
The ICI was created precisely to restore public trust, the CBCP said, and its work must proceed ‘thoroughly, transparently, and without fear or favor.’
The CBCP earlier called for a National Day of Prayer and Public Repentance to be held tomorrow, October 7.