A measure creating a joint congressional body to fast-track the investigation and adjudication of cases involving public officials and large-scale corruption, and to improve efficiency, accountability, and enforcement mechanisms, was filed by House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima.
The lady solon filed House Bill No. 7635 for the establishment of the Joint Congressional Commission on Justice System Reform (JCCJSR), an independent body mandated to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the justice sector’s institutional capacity, procedural rules, and enforcement mechanisms.
She said the perennial massive corruption in government – exemplified by the anomalous flood control scam controversy – is a manifestation of institutional weaknesses in criminal justice and public procurement systems, including gaps in oversight, judicial delays, and a politicized process that has enabled impunity.
“A justice system that is slow, inaccessible, and vulnerable to undue influence erodes the very foundations of democracy and rule of law. When truth-seeking and exacting accountability are delayed or obstructed, especially in cases of corruption of public officials, the social contract between the state and its citizens weakens, corroding public trust in government,” De Lima said.
“By institutionalizing a coordinated reform mechanism between the Senate and the House of Representatives and leveraging the expertise of independent specialists, we seek to modernize justice institutions, strengthen anti-corruption frameworks, reduce case backlog, and restore public confidence in the rule of law,” she added.
The Commission, under the bill, shall conduct nationwide hearings and consultations with stakeholders and experts from the judiciary, law enforcement, civil society, and the private sector, ensuring that the voices of marginalized sectors are included in reform proposals that promote equitable access to justice for all.
The joint congressional body, which will work with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as its research arm, shall recommend legislative, executive, and administrative reforms to improve procedural rules, expedite judicial processes, strengthen accountability, and enhance the efficiency of the criminal justice system.
It shall be composed of nine members: three members from the Senate, three members from the House of Representatives, and three experts from the private sector and academe to be appointed jointly by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Out of the three experts, at least one member shall be a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Sandiganbayan, Court of Appeals, or Court of Tax Appeals.
The Commission shall exist for three years unless extended by a Joint Resolution of Congress.
“Malinaw na kailangang busisiin at repormahin ang sistemang pangkatarungan ng bansa kung saan sinasamantala ng mga nasa poder ang mga kahinaan at butas sa proseso, lalo na ang mabagal na usad ng imbestigasyon at paglilitis, para paikutan ito at makatakas sa pananagutan,” De Lima stressed.
“Without significant reforms, similar cycles of scandal and public outcry are likely to recur, undermining not only governance but also the economic climate and social stability."