THE Philippine Bar Association (PBA) has thrown its weight behind the newly created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), vowing to provide legal support as the body begins investigating alleged anomalies in government-funded flood control projects.
In a two-page open letter released this week, the country’s oldest voluntary organization of lawyers expressed alarm over persistent reports of “ghost projects,” substandard works, and the diversion of billions of pesos from infrastructure budgets. The group warned that corruption in public works endangers lives and erodes democratic foundations.
“This is not a matter of convenience; it is a matter of life, livelihood, and dignity,” the PBA said. “When public funds meant to protect communities from disaster are plundered or misused, the betrayal is twofold: first, against the people who suffer preventable floods and displacement; and second, against the Republic itself, whose institutions are weakened by corruption and impunity.”
The association stressed that the creation of the Independent Commission must be more than symbolic, pressing the government to ensure that all allegations of irregularities are investigated “swiftly, impartially, and with full public disclosure.”
It added that independent bodies should not be used as tools to water down accountability but rather as mechanisms empowered to identify, prosecute, and penalize those responsible, regardless of political connections.
The PBA underscored the need to pursue “prosecution without fear or favor,” declaring that “public officials, contractors, and private actors implicated in anomalous projects must face the full force of the law. No political alliance or position should shield anyone from liability.”
The group also called on Congress and the Executive Branch to undertake systemic reforms, including eliminating opaque budget insertions, strengthening procurement safeguards, and ensuring that infrastructure projects are guided by science and not by political considerations. “Left unaddressed, \[corruption] allows corruption to accelerate at a time of extreme inequality. This is a proposition that no constitutional democracy can endure,” the PBA cautioned.
In the same letter, the association extended a challenge to its peers in the legal profession, urging lawyers to take the lead in holding offenders accountable, whether through prosecuting corruption cases, defending whistleblowers, or ensuring the independence of courts.
Law schools and professional organizations, it said, must instill in their members the courage to resist complicity and uphold ethical practice.
“We must restore public trust by showing that the law is not a tool of the powerful but a shield for the people,” it emphasized.
Furthermore, the PBA reiterated that corruption is more than a legal issue — it is a national moral crisis. “Corruption is not merely a scandal of contracts; it is a test of our nation’s moral fiber. To remain silent is to be complicit. To act decisively is to honor our oath as lawyers and our duty as citizens. Let us reclaim the law for the people, and with it, the promise of justice,” the statement read.
The PBA’s letter comes amid mounting public outcry over alleged irregularities in flood control projects, which represent one of the largest allocations in the national infrastructure budget. DEF
