Philippines rocked by Mass Protests Following Corruption Scandal linked to Infrastructure Projects
MANILA, Philippines – Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Manila for three consecutive days, demanding accountability after a corruption scandal involving billions of euros in infrastructure spending came to light. The unrest follows allegations of widespread mismanagement and tax evasion linked to projects undertaken during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, spurred by a citizen-led reporting initiative and a growing chorus of calls for systemic change.
The scandal centers around the alleged misuse of approximately 8 billion euros allocated to infrastructure projects over the past three years. The Ministry of Finance estimates at least 1.7 billion euros of that sum has been lost to corruption. the accusations surfaced amidst a confession from a contractor couple, Discaya, and have prompted President marcos to launch a website – https://sumbongsapangulo.ph/ – for citizens to report abuses related to government projects.
President Marcos has labeled the allegations “gruesome” and pledged to detain suspects before Christmas.Charges have already been filed against 37 individuals, with 86 construction companies and nine government officials accused of approximately 150 million euros in tax evasion.though, critics argue these measures are insufficient, with some even calling for marcos’s resignation.
The protests were ignited by a call to action from a major church in the Philippines, demanding greater accountability. Demonstrators expressed frustration over the lack of arrests despite months of examination. “This has been going on for a hundred days now and no one has been detained yet,” one protester told the Associated Press. Another stated, “They are sweeping it under the carpet. We demand a real investigation, not a cover-up.”
The presidential palace has been sealed off, and a meaningful police and army presence has been deployed to maintain order. While security services initially anticipated a peaceful exhibition, previous protests in the country have escalated into violence, including the burning of barricades and attacks on officers, leading to prosecutions of several dozen demonstrators.
