MANILA, Philippines?Corruption at the Court of Appeals is "like cancer" and ?widespread,? two lawyer-senators said Monday.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, a former regional trial court judge, said that among lawyers in Metro Manila, corruption in the CA is believed to be "widespread."

Judges at the regional trial courts are ?convinced that when rulings brought up to the CA, money would talk," she said.

That's why, Santiago said, "there is an urgent need to reorganize the judges for honesty."

Senator Joker Arroyo, a human-rights lawyer, said there have been "murmurs" among lawyers of corruption at the appellate court.

"For me, it?s good that this happened. This is a very good opportunity to clean the CA, because if it were cancer, this is so acute. It should not become more serious," he said.

"Many were just murmurs, but it's happening," he added.

Arroyo said lawyers are afraid to come out in public against the CA justices. They believe complaints against the justices will not prosper and the CA justices can retaliate and imperil their clients' cases, he said.

Noting the transfer of ponente and the tug-o'-war for cases in the appellate court, the senator said the Integrated Bar of the Philippines should take an active position because the IBP members are affected.

Since the President and Congress are prohibited from reorganizing the judiciary, Santiago said the Judicial and Bar Council should intervene and bear the responsibility for submitting three nominees for the President to choose from.

"The JBC is a failure,? she said. ?Or it could be a defining moment for Congress and take back its authority to pass over judicial nominees."