The country’s most influential business groups condemned the graft and corruption within the government, which they say are being done by lawmakers in Congress and other government officials, as crime against the people.

In a joint statement on Thursday, Sept. 4, 30 business groups expressed outrage and disgust over the officials’ “shameful, unabated, continuing and excessive acts” of corruption.

“Our call therefore is not just to moderate your greed. Our collective call to these corrupt officials is PLEASE STOP!” the groups said, emphasis theirs.

“MAAWA NAMAN KAYO SA MGA NAGHIHIRAP NA TAONG BAYAN (Have mercy on the people that are suffering),” they stressed.

The business groups emphasized that corruption is particularly prevalent in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Commission on Audit (COA), and local government units (LGUs).

Despite President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s renewed stance against corruption, the groups emphasized that comprehensive investigations must be conducted.

“We are concerned that the guilty among these officials will continue their merry way of robbing the people and filling their pockets, completely oblivious to the fact that they are betraying the public trust, committing a treasonous act against our people, and simply being unpatriotic and sinful,” the statement read.

Instead of the government conducting the probe itself, the business groups said the investigation must be overseen by an independent body.

Such an investigating body must prosecute these corrupt officials, put them behind bars, and recover stolen funds.

“Justice for the Filipino people, especially the poor, can only be achieved by successfully punishing the corrupt,” the groups said.

To ensure proper accountability, the business groups said that who are guilty in the “conspiracy to steal” from the people must be identified.

They noted that an investigation to these corrupt officials should be backed by strong evidence so that the appropriate criminal and civil cases can be filed against them.

As part of this, banks and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) should “bring out” the money launderers and their unexplained wealth “within legal and regulatory boundaries.”

The groups said the priority of this probe must be those in the DPWH, the LGUs and COA and their supposed partners in crime in the private sector.

In relation to this, businessmen and contractors who conspire with corrupt officials must be blacklisted.

As another measure, companies must lead the individual signing of an integrity pledge where business executives must ensure that they “SHALL NOT BRIBE” any government official in exchange for project approvals.

The business groups said they will push citizen and voter education campaigns to make the public aware of the “evils of corruption and other malgovernance practices”

This will guarantee that the people would be able to discern and elect officials who have good anti-corruption records

“TAMA NA! SOBRA NA! TUMIGIL NA KAYO! (Enough! This is too much! Stop it already!),” they stressed.

The signatories to the statement include the Alliance of Women for Action towards Reform (AWARE), Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM), Association of CPAs for Sustainability Inc. (ACPAFSI), Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Cebu Business Club (CBC), Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Cebu Leads Foundation (CLF), Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (CCPI), Connected Women, and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

Also included are the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), Filipina CEO Circle (FCC), Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), FinTech Alliance Philippines, Green EDSA Movement (GEM), Iloilo Economic Development Foundation Inc. (ILED), Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), Justice Reform Initiative (JRI), and Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

The remaining groups are the Military and Uniformed Personnel for United Philippines (MUP), Nextgen Organization of Women Corporate Directors (NOWCD), People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), Philippine Women’s Economic Network (PHILWEN), Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI), Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines (SHAREPHIL), and Women’s Business Council Philippines (WBCP).