To manage the demonstrations, more than 17,000 police officers were deployed in Metro Manila. The area around the presidential palace was placed under tight security.
Thousands of people, including Catholic priests and church workers, gathered across the Philippines on Sunday to protest against what they say is a major corruption scandal involving top government officials. Another group, led by left-wing organizations, held its own rally in Manilaโs main park, demanding that every official linked to the scandal step down and face charges. The protests began after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr acknowledged widespread corruption in government-funded flood control projects.
Many of these projects were found to be poorly built, defective, or never built at all even though large amounts of money were released for them. People are angry because the country suffers frequent flooding and severe weather, and they believe the stolen funds put lives at risk.
Heavy security across Manila
To manage the demonstrations, more than 17,000 police officers were deployed in Metro Manila. The area around the presidential palace was placed under tight security, with roads and bridges closed using barricades, trucks, and barbed wire.
The Philippines has a history of removing presidents over corruption, and some critics have recently suggested that the military withdraw support from the Marcos administration. However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines firmly rejected these calls.
At least 88 mostly retired generals including three former military chiefs signed a statement opposing any unconstitutional action. The military leadership said the armed forces remain committed to protecting democracy.
What are protestors demanding?
Participants demanded that leaders, government officials, and construction executives behind the questionable projects be jailed and ordered to return the money they allegedly took. A Catholic priest, Fr Flavie Villanueva, told the crowd that corruption is not only a crime but also a moral wrongdoing that harms ordinary Filipinos. He urged the government to imprison โall the corrupt and all the killers.โ
Since the president first exposed the issue in his yearly address to Congress in July, several officials from the public works department have been arrested for misuse of funds. A construction company tied to the scandal, Sunwest Corp, is also under investigation, and its executives are being sought by authorities.
On Friday, a former government engineer who admitted taking part in the scheme returned 110 million pesos (about $1.9 million) in kickbacks. He promised to return more soon.
According to President Marcos, the government has already frozen about 12 billion pesos (roughly $206 million) in assets belonging to suspects.
The president has vowed that many of the 37 lawmakers, wealthy contractors, and other influential figures linked to the scandal will be jailed by Christmas. But protesters say arrests should happen faster and that many more people involved should be held responsible.
With inputs from AP