President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday he understands the public’s outrage over corruption, emphasizing that Filipinos have every right to take their anger to the streets—so long as it remains peaceful.
In a press conference in Malacañang, Marcos said the protests being organized around the country following his recent exposure of massive corruption involving flood control projects between the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and their contractors are not surprising at all.
“Do you blame them for going out into the streets? If I wasn’t president, I might be out in the streets with them,” Marcos said. “Of course they are enraged; of course, they are angry—I am angry. We should all be angry because what is happening is not right.”
The President said he welcomed demonstrations as a way for citizens to demand accountability from those accused of wrongdoing.
“I want to show that there is justice. I want to show that there is fairness. I want to hold these people accountable just like they do,” he said.
Marcos urged protesters, however, to keep their actions within the bounds of the law.
“You can scream all you want, do everything to demonstrate (your disappointment)—just keep it peaceful,” he said, warning that authorities would be compelled to intervene if rallies turn violent.
Despite concerns that demonstrations could escalate, Marcos said he does not see them as a threat but as a reflection of a shared demand for justice. “I don’t blame them (protesters)—not one bit,” the president said.
