MANILA, Philippines (AP) – On Monday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on the public to express their outrage regarding the extensive corruption that has affected flood-control projects in one of Asia's most typhoon-prone nations. He emphasized that while the public's anger should be vocalized, it is crucial that any street protests remain peaceful.
Marcos pledged that an independent commission would thoroughly investigate the corruption scandal, asserting that even his allies in the House of Representatives and the Senate would face scrutiny. Several legislators have been accused of receiving substantial kickbacks, along with government engineers and construction companies, during televised congressional hearings. The president first addressed this scandal during his annual state of the nation speech in July.
In contrast to recent violent protests in Nepal and Indonesia, demonstrations against alleged abuses in the Philippines have generally been smaller and more peaceful. Much of the outrage has been expressed online through various platforms, with notable contributions from Catholic church leaders, business executives, and retired military officials.
A planned protest on September 21 at a pro-democracy shrine in the Manila metropolis, located near affluent neighborhoods where some corruption suspects reside, is anticipated to draw a larger crowd. In preparation, police forces and military troops have been put on alert. “If I wasn’t president, I might be out in the streets with them,” Marcos remarked regarding the anti-corruption demonstrators, acknowledging the public's anger and expressing his own discontent.
Marcos urged the protesters to demand accountability, stating, “You let them know your sentiments, you let them know how they hurt you, how they stole from you, shout at them and do everything, demonstrate, just keep it peaceful.” However, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro cautioned against individuals who may seek to exploit public outrage for destabilizing purposes.
In a joint statement, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and military chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. rejected calls for the armed forces to withdraw support from Marcos amid the public reaction to the corruption scandal. They emphasized that the military, with a membership of 160,000, remains non-partisan and abides by constitutional protocols.
During a recent rally, a speaker urged the military to end its loyalty to Marcos and invoked the spirit of a non-violent “people power” revolt, reminiscent of the 1986 uprising that ousted Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the current president's father, and the 2001 ousting of Joseph Estrada.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have been conducting inquiries into allegations of substandard and non-existent flood-control projects. Numerous legislators, senators, construction companies, and public works engineers have been implicated in these investigations, accused of advancing kickbacks that enable lavish lifestyles featuring mansions, luxury cars from Europe, and high-stakes gambling, all while rampant poverty persists in the country.
Over the last three years, the Philippines has reportedly allocated an estimated 545 billion pesos (approximately $9.6 billion) for thousands of flood mitigation projects. These projects are currently under governmental review to assess which are substandard or non-existent, an issue Marcos identified during recent inspections in flood-prone areas, including Bulacan, a densely populated province situated north of Manila.
