MANILA – The newly formed group “Artikulo Onse: Citizens’ War Against Corruption” has called for the creation of an independent fact-finding body to conduct a thorough investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects. The group opposes the idea of the probe being led by the Senate, House of Representatives, or the Executive Department.

Artikulo Onse derives its name from Article 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which states, among other principles, that: “Public Office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

Liberal Party (LP) Acting President and former House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada, human rights lawyer and former Sanlakas party-list Rep. JV Bautista, and labor leaders Leody de Guzman and Luke Espiritu spearheaded the launch of the group on August 25, 2025, in Quezon City. They asserted that the proposed independent fact-finding body should be led by individuals with credibility and integrity, including members of the clergy, labor sector, and retired magistrates.

They floated the names of former Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner Heidi Mendoza, former Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Cielo Magno, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as potential members of the body.

Tañada said Congress (Senate and House) cannot credibly conduct a probe due to a conflict of interest. “They were behind the General Appropriations Act. They were the ones that would submit the projects that had to be made in their respective districts. So I would say there would be a conflict of interest if the Senate and the House conducts a probe on their own backyard.”

Malacañang earlier stated that the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) would lead an investigation into the flood control project anomalies.

Bautista expressed doubts about the agency’s credibility to conduct the probe. “Do they even have their feet on the ground? Nasubukan na ba nilang, halimbawa, mapunta sa strike o mapunta sa isang ‘yung shanty house ng isang mahirap natin na informal settler? Natikman na ba nila ‘yun? They only work with figures… Ang kailangan natin ay honest-to-goodness na citizens investigating commission headed by the most credible Filipinos that we can find.”

De Guzman stressed that the majority of the members of the investigating body should come from basic sectors, rather than lawmakers. “Dapat majority manggaling sa kinatawan ng sektor, hindi mga– ulitin ko– hindi galing sa Kongreso. Hindi galing sa Senado.”

Espiritu, meanwhile, said that some are turning the climate crisis into a business opportunity. “Ginagawang negosyo ang mismong climate crisis. Ang mismong pagdating ng bagyo, ginagawang oportunidad para kumita ng bilyon-bilyon na tayo ang pinagbabayad.”

The group revealed plans to establish a network in at least 77 cities, which will serve as the “eyes and ears” of Artikulo Onse in the fight against corruption nationwide. They also intend to launch an extensive “shame campaign” targeting individuals in both the private and public sectors who, if proven guilty by sufficient evidence, would be publicly exposed. They urged all Filipinos to come forward and help expose corruption.

Additionally, they called for the passage of what they described as a “genuine” Freedom of Information (FOI) law, which would open government transactions and contracts to public scrutiny for complete transparency.

Tañada emphasized, “The floodwaters expose more than our fragile infrastructure. They reveal cracks in governance, missing billions, and the erosion of public trust. Every peso lost to corruption is a classroom left unfinished, a health center never completed, a family unprotected against disaster. This controversy over flood control projects highlights an urgent need– stronger safeguards for the people’s money.”

📷 Erin Tañada FB