Citizens' Battle Against Corruption

Citizens' Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) was established in 1997 as an organization that would combat corruption and cronyism in government.^[2] CIBAC stated that its activities include assisting in the filing of legal cases against erring government officials with the Ombudsman. It cooperated with the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) in 2000. It also took part in political protests, including the Second EDSA Revolution.^[3]

Registered as a party list with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in 2001,^[4] CIBAC first sought representation in the House of Representatives in the national election held in the same year. CIBAC won a seat but was initially disqualified by the COMELC due to its religious affiliation with the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide (JILCW).^[5]

After the disqualification was successfully contested, Joel Villanueva, son of JILCW preacher Eddie Villanueva, assumed office as a House representative on February 6, 2002.^[5]

In the 2004 election, CIBAC retained its seat but filed a petition to gain a second seat. The Supreme Court in 2007 maintained that the calculations for seats based on the 2000 decision Veterans Federation Party et al. vs. COMELEC was appropriately applied to the 2004 vote.^[6]

In 2008, CIBAC representative Joel Villanueva allegedly misused 10 million pesos in public funds from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Ombudsman investigations found that Villanueva's disbursements were coursed through a questionable NGO for an agricultural and livelihood project that turned out to be a ghost project. Administrative sanctions for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service were imposed on him in 2016, where criminal charges were also filed against him in the Sandiganbayan due to two counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count of malversation through falsification of public documents.^[7]

• Official website