The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has renewed its push to reinstate the death penalty for individuals convicted of plunder, as allegations of massive corruption involving public funds remain under government scrutiny.
VACC President Arsenio “Boy” Evangelista said during a July forum that large-scale theft of public funds should be classified as economic sabotage, arguing that corruption deprives Filipinos of essential services and damages the economy. He said imposing tougher penalties could discourage public officials from engaging in plunder.
The call came amid the ongoing flood-control corruption scandal, which has triggered complaints and investigations involving current and former government officials. Evangelista also raised concerns over possible attempts to keep the controversy from reaching the courts and called for accountability beyond former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co.
The VACC made the call weeks before the latest Habagat flooding, which has once again put flood-control infrastructure under the microscope, as billions of pesos allocated for such projects remain at the heart of corruption investigations.
Among those facing investigation is former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Romualdez and other respondents to respond to allegations of plunder, graft, direct and indirect bribery, and money laundering involving a flood-control scheme and approximately ₱56 billion in purported ill-gotten wealth accumulated from 2022 to 2025. The Ombudsman has identified Romualdez as the mastermind of the scheme.
Under the Anti-Plunder Law, a public official who amasses at least ₱50 million in ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of specified criminal acts may face a plunder charge. While the law previously permitted the death penalty, capital punishment has been barred since Republic Act No. 9346 took effect in 2006.
Reinstating the death penalty would require Congress to pass new legislation. Senate Bill No. 1343, filed by Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in September 2025 and co-authored by Sen. Bong Go, seeks to restore capital punishment specifically for plunder. The bill remains pending in committee.
In January 2025, a separate measure was filed in the House seeking to impose the death penalty by firing squad on public officials convicted of corruption, malversation of public funds and plunder.
