Business groups seek jail time for corrupt officials

Thirty business groups on Thursday strongly condemned the continuing and excessive graft and corruption by government officials, calling for jail time for these corrupt individuals.

The business groups, led by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), issued a strongly worded statement calling for the end to corruption in government’s public works and other projects.

“We hereby declare our outrage, disgust, and disappointment about the acts of many of our legislators in Congress and officials in the Executive Department, primarily in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the local government units, and the Commission on Audit (CoA), for their shameful, unabated, continuing, and excessive acts of graft and corruption,” the groups said.

While the groups welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s callout against corrupt officials, they expressed concern that the guilty officials will continue “their merry way of robbing the people and filling their pockets, completely oblivious to the fact that they are betraying the public trust (and) committing a treasonous act against our people.”

The business groups said a thorough investigation should be conducted by an independent body, with the aim of prosecuting these officials, putting them in jail and recovering the stolen funds.

“Justice for the Filipino people, especially the poor, can only be achieved by successfully punishing the corrupt,” they said.

“Our call therefore is not just to ‘moderate your greed.’ Our collective call to these corrupt officials is — Please stop! Maawa naman kayo sa mga naghihirap na taong bayan (Have mercy on our suffering countrymen).”

The business groups said they will help identify “those who have been guilty in the conspiracy to steal from the people.”

They also committed to gather evidence of corruption against government officials, particularly those in the DPWH, LGUs and CoA and “their partners in crime in the private sector.”

The groups also pledged to blacklist “notorious” businessmen and contractors who work with the corrupt politicians and officials.

They also vowed to participate in and support citizen and voter education campaigns as well as to lead the signing of the Integrity Pledge, where they promise not to bribe any politician in exchange for favors.

“(We will) encourage the financial sector, particularly the banks and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), to be one with us in bringing out the money launderers and their unexplained wealth within legal and regulatory boundaries,” they said.

Aside from the PCCI and MAP, the statement was backed by other large business groups such as the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Federation of Philippine Industries, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, and the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.

The other signatories included the Alliance of Women for Action towards Reform, Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan, Association of CPAs for Sustainability, Inc., Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals, Cebu Business Club, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Cebu Leads Foundation.

The FinTech Alliance Philippines, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands, Connected Women, Filipina CEO Circle, Green EDSA Movement, Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, Inc., Institute for Solidarity in Asia, and Institute of Corporate Directors also signed the statement.

Groups such as the Justice Reform Initiative, Military and Uniformed Personnel for United Philippines, Nextgen Organization of Women Corporate Directors, People Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Institute of CPA, Philippine Women’s Economic Network, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc., Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines, and Women’s Business Council Philippines have also signed.

The business groups’ joint statement comes amid the government’s ongoing probe into reported anomalies in flood control projects under the DPWH.

In his State of the Nation Address on July 28, Mr. Marcos ordered an investigation into flood control projects days after Metro Manila experienced widespread flooding due to monsoon rains.

Resignations

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that the executive director of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) and two board members of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) have stepped down amid allegations that PCAB was selling contractor accreditations.

“Executive Director Herbert D.G. Matienzo resigned. He put personal reasons in his resignation letter. He resigned on Sept. 3, and I accepted his resignation on Sept. 3 as well,” DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque told reporters on Thursday.

“But even if he resigned, he said that he will cooperate and that he will be covered by the probe,” she added.

Ms. Roque said that the people that will replace the resigned officials are already identified but are yet to be announced.

PCAB Board Members Arthur N. Escalante and Erni G. Baggao have also resigned, the Trade chief said.

“So, for Ernie Bagao, he cited personal and health reasons; for Arthur Escalante, his term has actually expired in May 2025, so he just stepped down,” she added.

Late on Wednesday, the DTI said that it will release the full list of companies facing potential license revocation once it completes its review and receives the documents from the resigned executive director.

“This review aims to uphold transparency and accountability following PCAB’s board resolution revoking the licenses of nine construction firms owned by businesswoman Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya,” the department said.

“This also reflects DTI’s commitment to ensure fair practices and protect industry integrity in government procurement and licensing,” it added.

Asked what steps the department will take amid plans of the Discayas to file an appeal, Ms. Roque said that the department will stick with PCAB’s recommendation.

“Everybody is allowed to file an appeal. But for us, we will stick to the PCAB’s recommendation. I don’t know how long the process will be, but definitely, if they file, of course, the PCAB will counter it,” she added.

Mr. Marcos said previously that about P100 billion of the total P545 billion in government funds that were allocated for flood control projects nationwide since 2022 were cornered by just 15 contractors.

“Those are being checked. Actually, we started investigating those companies that are involved last week. We will just be putting them out once we get a conclusion,” she said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile