CBCP slams corruption in flood control projects

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has strongly denounced the massive corruption in flood control projects.

CBCP President Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David stated that shame should extend beyond contractors to include legislators, engineers, auditors, and political patrons involved in the alleged plunder.

He cited the public outrage directed at contractors in recent hearings, emphasizing that shame must be inclusive of legislators, district engineers, government auditors, and political patrons who share in the plunder.

David also stated that private contractors and financiers who collude in this racket are equally guilty.

The CBCP questioned the credibility of investigating bodies, pointing out that institutions conducting inquiries might themselves be implicated, and that national projects are often inserted into the budget as pork at the expense of other vital programs.

The bishops emphasized that true justice requires not only punishment but also the restitution of stolen wealth to public coffers.

David added that the nation remains poor if these funds are not restored, even if those implicated would not be impoverished by such reparation.