Protests Erupt in Philippines Over Corruption and Stolen Funds
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Thousands of demonstrators protested corruption in the Philippines on Sunday, calling for the swift prosecution of top legislators and officials implicated in a scandal. The protests were led by left-wing groups and included participation from the Roman Catholic clergy.
Protesters gathered at the pro-democracy monument along EDSA highway in Metro Manila, with police estimating around 5,000 attendees. They demanded the immediate resignation of implicated government officials and the return of stolen funds.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is facing heightened public outrage over corruption linked to substandard flood control projects. Over 17,000 police officers were deployed in metropolitan Manila to secure the protests, with the Malacanang presidential palace placed in lockdown.
Demonstrators expressed their anger through messages on clothing, including one shirt that read, 'No mercy for the greedy.' Rev. Flavie Villanueva, a Catholic priest, addressed the crowd, stating, 'If money is stolen, that's a crime, but if dignity and lives are taken away, these are sins against fellow human beings.' Following an alarm raised by Marcos in July regarding flood control anomalies, seven public works officers have been jailed for illegal use of public funds.
Construction firm executives from Sunwest Corp. are being sought as suspects in the corruption scandal. Former government engineer Henry Alcantara returned 110 million pesos, approximately one point nine million dollars, in kickbacks and indicated he would return more.
Authorities have frozen assets worth 12 billion pesos, around 206 million dollars, linked to the corruption allegations. Marcos pledged that many of the 37 powerful senators and members of Congress implicated in the scandal would be jailed by Christmas, but protesters demanded quicker action.
They argued that the implicated officials, along with wealthy construction executives, should be imprisoned immediately and forced to return funds used for luxurious lifestyles, including private jets and extravagant homes.
As calls for accountability grow louder in this deeply divided democracy, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, supported by 88 retired generals, stated their commitment to rejecting unconstitutional acts and upholding democracy.