At the United Nations anti-corruption conference in Doha, Philippine Ombudsman Boying Remulla highlighted the government's swift action against a major flood control corruption scandal. He emphasized accountability for high-level officials now facing charges.
At the 11th Session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on Monday, December 15, in Doha, Qatar, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla addressed anti-corruption conference attendees. He showcased the Philippines' response to a systemic corruption scheme in flood control projects uncovered in the past year.
“In the past year, our country has uncovered a systemic corruption scheme in flood control projects. We moved quickly, complaints were evaluated, evidence was assessed, and charges were filed. Several high-level officials now face cases before Sandiganbayan, our anti-corruption court,” Remulla said. He added, “These actions send a clear message: accountability must reach those who believe they are above the law.”
Among those facing cases at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan are former public works officials and resigned congressman Zaldy Co, believed to have masterminded the mangling of the national budget. Co is currently hiding abroad.
Remulla led the Philippine delegation, which included Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg and senior officials from the Department of Budget and Management, Procurement Service, Commission on Audit, Commission on Civil Service, and the Office of the President.
The Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to priorities like asset recovery, procurement transparency, information sharing, and countering cross-border and technology-enabled corruption. Remulla noted the passage of a new government procurement law in 2024 after two decades of reform efforts. The law mandates digital procurement, upgrades PhilGEPS from a document repository to a transaction platform, and supports standardization of procurement data formats. However, journalists and anti-corruption advocates at home continue to struggle with a clunky PhilGEPS website and lack access to beneficial ownership registry forms of companies.
The Philippines ratified the UNCAC in 2006, subjecting itself to an implementation review mechanism for compliance checks.
