To strengthen the Judiciary’s fight against corruption, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday pushed for the inclusion of funds in the 2026 budget for the newly reorganized Judicial Integrity Office (JIO).
During his interpellation of the 2026 budget of the Judiciary, Lacson noted that operationalizing the JIO would help strengthen accountability among judges, officials and employees of the courts.
“I’m interested in this. (This is part of the) signs of the times (because) as the nomenclature suggests, JIO will be primarily tasked to promote integrity and to address issues of corruption within the Judiciary,” he said.
“While the consciousness is high in addressing corruption, maybe this is the proper time to assist the Supreme Court and the Judiciary to organize immediately the JIO,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson, Itinulak ang P250M Pondo para sa Anti-Corruption Office sa Hudikatura
Lacson said the needed funding – about P250 million – is tiny compared to the hundreds of billions of pesos lost to corruption, including in the 2025 budget. On Tuesday, Lacson detailed the corruption behind the P100-billion insertion into the 2025 budget.
“During the period of amendments we can introduce an amendment in the amount of P250 million, considering we were talking about hundreds of billions just yesterday,” he said.
Finance subcommittee chairman Francis Pangilinan, who sponsored the Judiciary’s budget, noted that Finance Committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian was “nodding his head.”
Lacson also said he hopes the passage of Republic Act 12233, the Judicial Autonomy Act, would allow the Judiciary to propose its own budget starting in the 2027 budget.
He lamented the huge cut in the Judiciary’s 2026 budget by the Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC), where the Judiciary requested P90.7 billion for 2026 but was allotted only P67.66 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“I’m wondering, they asked for P90 billion, tapos bibigyan ng P67 billion at sinasabi kulang. But as we know ang ibang executive department (agencies), parang wallowing in allocations (I’m wondering – the Judiciary asked for P90 billion, but was allotted only P67 billion. Yet as we know, some executive department agencies are wallowing in allocations),” he said.
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Lacson, Itinulak ang P250M Pondo para sa Anti-Corruption Office sa Hudikatura
Upang palakasin ang laban ng Hudikatura kontra korapsyon, itinulak ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules ang paglalaan ng pondo sa 2026 budget para sa bagong nireorganisang Judicial Integrity Office (JIO).
Sa kanyang interpellation sa 2026 budget ng Hudikatura, sinabi ni Lacson na ang pagpapagana sa JIO ay makatutulong sa pagpapatibay ng pananagutan ng mga hukom, opisyal at kawani ng mga korte.
“I’m interested in this. (This is part of the) signs of the times (because) as the nomenclature suggests, JIO will be primarily tasked to promote integrity and to address issues of corruption within the judiciary,” aniya.
“While the consciousness is high in addressing corruption, maybe this is the proper time to assist the Supreme Court and the Judiciary to organize immediately the JIO,” dagdag pa niya.
Ani Lacson, ang kinakailangang pondo na P250 milyon ay napakaliit kumpara sa daan-daang bilyong piso na nawawala sa korapsyon, kabilang sa 2025 budget. Noong Martes, inilahad niya ang korapsyon sa likod ng P100-bilyong insertion sa 2025 budget.
“During the period of amendments we can introduce an amendment in the amount of P250 million, considering we were talking about hundreds of billions just yesterday,” aniya.
Bilang tugon, binigyang-diin naman ni Finance subcommittee chairman Francis Pangilinan, na nag-sponsor ng budget ng Hudikatura, na si Finance Committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian ay tumatango.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na umaasa siyang papayagan ng pagpasa ng Republic Act 12233, ang Judicial Autonomy Act, ang Hudikatura na maghain ng sarili nitong budget simula sa 2027 budget.
Ikinalungkot din niya ang malaking kaltas sa 2026 budget ng Hudikatura na ginawa ng Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC), kung saan humingi ang Judiciary ng P90.7 bilyon para sa 2026 ngunit P67.66 bilyon lamang ang inilaan sa National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“I’m wondering, they asked for P90 billion, tapos bibigyan ng P67 billion at sinasabi kulang. But as we know ang ibang executive department (agencies), parang wallowing in allocations,” aniya.
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