Manila, Philippines – โ Thousands of Filipinosโ rallied in โขthe capital today demanding โaccountability following revelations of widespread corruption in flood-control projects, a scandal that has engulfed lawmakers,โฃ business leaders, and government โofficials. The protests come as the nation โgrapples with the โฃaftermath of recent typhoons that caused devastating floods โขand landslides, leaving at leastโ 259 dead and millions affected this โขmonth.
The scandal centers on โallegations that billions of pesos earmarkedโฃ for infrastructure improvements were diverted โขthrough fraudulent schemes, contributing to the Philippines’ vulnerability to extreme weather events. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to โคprosecute those responsible, stating โon Thursday that many implicated senators, members of Congress, and wealthy businesspeople โข”would beโ in jail by Christmas.”
An independent fact-findingโข commission established by Marcos has already filed criminal complaints โฃagainst 37 individuals for graft, corruption, and plunder. Additionally, complaints have been lodged against 86 construction company executives andโ nine โgovernment officials for allegedly evading nearly 9 billion pesos ($152 million) in taxes.
Accusations extend across the political spectrum,โค includingโค former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin and key ally of the president, and โformer Senateโค President Chiz Escudero, both of whom deny wrongdoing. Senator โคBongโ Go, a close associate ofโ former President Rodrigo Duterte, also faces allegations of โinvolvement, which he has refuted.
The unfolding crisis has โฃeven drawn criticism from Duterte himself, who is currently detained by the international Criminal โCourt in the Netherlands on charges of crimes against โhumanity related toโ his anti-drugs crackdown. โคHis daughter, the current vice president, has called for Marcos to be โheld accountable for โฃapproving โtheโ 2025 โnational budget,โฃ which allocated funds forโ the flood control projects at the heart of the scandal.
despite isolated calls from some Duterte supporters for the military to withdraw its support for Marcos,โ Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has firmly affirmed the military’s commitment โto upholding the Constitution. “With full conviction, I assure the public that the armedโข forces will not engage in any action that violates the Constitution,” Brawner โstated.”Notโฃ today, โขnotโค tomorrow and certainly not under my watch.”
