MANILA — Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Party-list Representative Bro. Eddie Villanueva officially took his oath of office before Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Monday, solidifying his return to the House of Representatives as part of the 20th Congress.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Supreme Court Complex in Manila. Joining Rep. Villanueva were Bocaue, Bulacan Mayor Eduardo “Jonjon” Villanueva, his grandson Jack Edreen Villanueva, retired Sandiganbayan Justice Efren Dela Cruz, and CIBAC National Operations Head Domeng Rivera.

In his message following the ceremony, Rep. Villanueva underscored the symbolic significance of being sworn in by the country’s top magistrate.

“Today, we take our oath of office before the Chief Magistrate to reaffirm our solemn and serious commitment to uphold and pursue the indispensable principles of truth, justice and righteousness in our country. We renew the pledge of CIBAC to be an agent of promoting accountability and rule of law in the government,” Villanueva said.

CIBAC secured a seat in the House of Representatives after garnering 593,911 votes in the 2025 elections, placing 10th among party-lists.

Rep. Villanueva emphasized that the country’s anti-corruption efforts remain critical, citing data from a global watchdog.

“The call to fight corruption has never been more imperative than now,” Rep. Villanueva explained, referring to the most recent results of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International, which indicate that the Philippines continues to score poorly and has not made significant progress in combating corruption, remaining below the global average and lagging behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Acknowledging the continuing challenges ahead, he called for steadfast dedication to good governance.

“Though the fight seems becoming harder, we cannot afford to give up because it is the people, particularly the poor, who is the sure victim if we let our guards down. CIBAC reaffirms its resolve to fight corruption head on,” added Rep. Villanueva.

He stated that CIBAC remains committed to advocating for improved transparency in the government as well as stronger public participation, which they consider vital tools in combating graft and corruption.

Among the legislative measures they intend to champion are the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, imposition of stiffer penalties for heinous corruption offenses, digitalization of government processes, and the implementation of a combined manual-electronic voting system to ensure integrity in the electoral process.

Rep. Villanueva will officially reassume his post at noon on June 30. The 20th Congress is scheduled to open its first session on July 28, 2025.

📷 CIBAC