A broad coalition of anti-corruption advocates, civil society groups, and sectoral leaders launched a new movement on Monday, declaring a nationwide “Citizens’ War Against Corruption” and directly challenging the integrity of government-led investigations into alleged anomalies in multi-billion peso flood control projects.
Dubbed “ARTIKULO XI: Citizens’ War Against Corruption”—a reference to the impeachment article in the 1987 Constitution—the movement was launched on National Heroes’ Day by a prominent group of figures including lawyer Luke Espiritu Jr., labor rights advocate Leody De Guzman, former congressman and human rights advocate Erin Tañada III, and former congressman Jose Virgilio “JV” Bautista.
At the heart of their launch was a firm rejection of the ongoing probes into the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) being conducted by the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev).
Former congressman JV Bautista delivered a scathing critique of the congressional inquiries, pointing to a fundamental conflict of interest. “Paano iimbestigahan ng Kongreso ang sarili nila?” (How can Congress investigate itself?) Bautista asked the press conference. He highlighted that many lawmakers are themselves contractors or have vested interests in public works projects, rendering any internal investigation inherently suspect.
The group is instead demanding the immediate creation of an independent, citizen-led fact-finding body to conduct a credible probe. They argue that such a body should be composed of respected figures from outside the political establishment.
“The floodwaters expose more than our fragile infrastructure. They reveal cracks in governance, missing billions, and the erosion of public trust,” said Erin Tañada, acting president of the Liberal Party. “Every peso lost to corruption is a classroom left unfinished, a health center never completed, a family unprotected against disaster.”
Tañada called for the passage of a “genuine” Freedom of Information (FOI) law, stating that “transparency strengthens institutions.”
Labor leader Leody De Guzman echoed the sentiment, insisting that the majority of any investigating body must come from sectoral representatives, not politicians. “Dapat majority manggaling sa kinatawan ng sektor, hindi galing sa Kongreso. Hindi galing sa Senado,” he stated, suggesting former Commission on Audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza and former Finance undersecretary Cielo Magno as ideal candidates for the proposed independent commission.
The group also questioned the DEPDev’s capacity to lead a probe. Bautista criticized the agency, asking, “Do they even have their feet on the ground?… They only work with figures. Ang kailangan natin honest to goodness citizens investigating commission.”
In a direct message to the administration, Tañada stated that if President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. effectively acts against corruption in the flood control projects, it would “eventually erase whatever historical judgment there was on the previous Marcos administration.”
Adding another layer to the issue, lawyer Luke Espiritu connected the corruption to the climate crisis, lamenting, “Ginagawang negosyo ang mismong climate crisis… Ang mismong pagdating ng bagyo, ginagawang oportunidad para kumita ng bilyon-bilyon.” (They are turning the climate crisis itself into a business… The very arrival of storms is being used as an opportunity to earn billions.)
As a key part of their strategy, the Artikulo Onse movement announced plans to launch an extensive “shame campaign” targeting individuals in both the public and private sectors who are proven by evidence to be involved in corrupt practices.
The launch of this new coalition signals a significant escalation in public scrutiny of government infrastructure spending and sets the stage for a contentious debate over who holds the power to investigate alleged graft.#
