MANILA — Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has filed a bill proposing the creation of a Joint Congressional Commission on Justice System Reform (JCCJSR) to accelerate investigations and prosecutions, especially cases involving public officials and large-scale corruption.

Under House Bill No. 7635, the proposed body would conduct a comprehensive review of the justice sector’s institutional capacity, procedures, and enforcement mechanisms. It would be composed of nine members: three each from the Senate and the House, and three non-legislative experts from the academe, private sector, or retired justices.

De Lima said the commission aims to modernize justice institutions, strengthen anti-corruption frameworks, and reduce case backlogs. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) would serve as the commission’s research arm to guide reform recommendations.

“The social contract between the state and its citizens weakens when accountability is delayed, especially in cases involving corruption by public officials,” De Lima said. The body would exist for three years unless extended through a joint resolution of Congress.