MANILA, Philippines – A shocking privilege speech on the floor of the House of Representatives has ignited a political firestorm, with stunning allegations of systemic corruption that have now triggered a full-blown crisis in the Senate.

It all began when Rep. Egay Erice took the podium, not to offer praise, but to launch a “fierce attack” against what he called “predators” within his own ranks. In a rare and stunning admission of a deep-seated problem within Congress, he declared, “this house is on fire,” adding that the blaze wasn’t started by critics or enemies of the government. “We started this fire ourselves,” he confessed.

Erice painted a stark picture of two different Philippines: one where ordinary citizens are drowning in floods and poverty, and another where leaders and their families shamelessly flaunt their extravagant wealth. “Business as usual is no longer an option,” he declared.

The speech reached its explosive climax when Erice dropped a staggering figure: ₱1.45 trillion. He alleged this amount had been systematically siphoned off through “insertions and diversions” in the national budget over just three years, from 2023 to 2025. According to Erice, over a trillion pesos were diverted from programs already approved by the president and redirected to pet projects for the personal gain of powerful individuals.

Erice further alleged that these projects were “sold” to contractors for commissions as high as 30%, with district engineers acting as the “cooks” for these illicit deals. He also claimed that idle funds from government-owned and controlled corporations, including ₱60 billion from PhilHealth and ₱107 billion from the PDIC, were being diverted for personal projects.

These revelations sent shockwaves through the political landscape, but the most immediate and dramatic impact was felt in the Senate. The chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, tasked with investigating such allegations, threatened to resign out of sheer frustration. This move sparked rumors of a leadership coup, plunging the Senate into a state of crisis.

Senate President Tito Sotto acknowledged the chairman’s frustration but assured the public that the chairman had his “100% support.” Nevertheless, the incident has raised serious questions about the stability of the Senate and its ability to conduct a thorough investigation into Erice’s explosive claims.

As the drama in the Senate unfolds, the Filipino public watches intently, waiting to see if justice will be served. The fire that Rep. Erice ignited in the House now threatens to consume the entire political establishment.