MANILA (September 7) – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday called for the return of stolen public funds in light of alleged anomalies in government flood control projects.
In a pastoral letter, CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David denounced what he described as the long-standing “anatomy of corruption” in public works.
“For years, the anatomy of corruption in public works has been public knowledge. Senator Panfilo Lacson laid it bare. Mayors like Benjamin Magalong and Vico Sotto confirmed that a multi-layered system of ‘commissions’ often consumes sixty percent of project funds, leaving less than half for construction,” David said.
He stressed that accountability should extend beyond contractors, pointing to legislators, district engineers, auditors, political patrons, and private financiers as equally complicit.
“Stolen wealth must be returned to the public coffers from which it was taken. Many implicated will not be impoverished by reparation, yet the nation remains poor if the funds are not restored,” he added.
The letter also urged the youth to take an active stand against corruption by using digital platforms for vigilance, truth-sharing, and reform advocacy. “Make corruption shameful again,” David said.
Among the CBCP’s proposed steps were: rejecting patronage politics, promoting honesty, supporting independent probes on flood-control projects, and demanding accountability from those guilty of plunder.
The bishops likewise encouraged government, business, and church leaders to “live modestly, resist excess, and uphold transparency.”
