Senator Kiko Pangilinan is urging the immediate passage of Senate Bill 1547, which seeks to establish a Justice Reform Commission tasked with investigating systemic failures in the Philippine justice system that allow corruption to persist and flourish.
“We must punish more and swiftly. Twenty-one years doesn’t in any way classify as swift,” Pangilinan said, referring to the prolonged delay in resolving major corruption cases like the Fertilizer Fund Scam.
“We must punish more and swiftly.”
“21 years sa Sandiganbayan. Another 20 years sa SC? Such ridiculous delays embolden the corrupt and erode our people’s faith in the rule of law,” the veteran legislator added.
According to the judiciary’s submissions for the 2026 budget, there is a staggering backlog of cases across the courts: over 612,000 in lower courts, 27,000 in the Court of Appeals, 16,000 in the Supreme Court, 2,000 in the Court of Tax Appeals, and nearly 1,000 in the Sandiganbayan.
“In 2004, Facebook, Skype, and Nintendo’s touch-interface were just starting out,” the seasoned lawmaker said, contrasting the life-changing technological advancements to the sluggish pace of justice.
“Corruption is rampant because the justice system in the Philippines is slower than rush-hour traffic on EDSA.”
“Corruption is rampant because the justice system in the Philippines is slower than rush-hour traffic on EDSA,” the senator said.
His proposed Justice Reform Commission would have the power to review delays across law enforcement, prosecution, judiciary, and corrections, and recommend reforms to ensure that perpetrators of crimes against the people are held accountable swiftly and fairly.
The Sandiganbayan’s Special Sixth Division recently found former Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Technical Director Joel Rudinas and former DA accountant Claudia Artazo guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for the irregular procurement of more than 6,000 bottles of liquid fertilizer for Camiguin in 2004.
The Fertilizer Fund Scam involves the alleged diversion of ₱728 million intended to fund fertilizer purchases for farmers to finance the election campaign that year through vote-buying schemes.
Then Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante was identified as a key figure in orchestrating the diversion of funds. The scam involved suspicious transactions, irregular procurement of fertilizers from dubious NGOs, and raised questions about the misuse of public money intended for agriculture.
While several mid-level officials and private individuals have been convicted and jailed, including Department of Agriculture regional executives and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself was cleared of any direct involvement by the Ombudsman. In November 2016, the Sandiganbayan also ruled to dismiss the case against Bolante for insufficient evidence.
The case has lingered unresolved for over two decades, symbolizing the need for judicial reform to speed up resolution of corruption cases and restore public trust.
“The proper, prompt, and fair implementation of the law is the foundation of order in our society,” Pangilinan concluded.
