The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) told participants in yesterday’s anti-corruption rallies that holding greedy officials accountable should not come at the expense of the country’s democratic institutions, even as groups representing virtually all colors in the political spectrum agreed that shameless government corruption must stop immediately.
“Huwag mong sunugin ang buong bahay para alisin ang mga daga (Don’t burn down the whole house just to get rid of a few vermin),” was CBCP President Virgilio Cardinal David’s message to thousands of protesters at the EDSA People Power Monument and the Rizal Park in Manila, while urging them to remain steadfast in their fight for political reform. About 16,000 joined both rallies in Metro Manila while almost 60,000 participated about 85 demonstrations nationwide, according to the PNP.
“Iligtas ang bahay, huwag sunugin (Save the house, don’t burn it down),” he said in a speech at the EDSA People Power Monument.
David also offered prayers for government leaders, asking for “moral courage, truthfulness, and compassion,” and encouraged citizens to stay alert against disinformation and divisive rhetoric.
Public outrage over so-called ghost flood-control projects has been mounting, reaching its peak when entire towns were inundated in floodwaters driven by powerful typhoons in recent months.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has seen friend and foe alike, including a congressman cousin, swept up by the spiraling scandal since he first put the issue center stage in a July national address.
“Put them in jail now!” protesters chanted at the monument erected to commemorate the ouster of the incumbent president’s father, Ferdinand Sr., in 1986.
However, David cautioned against demands for the immediate resignation of government officials without a clear alternative.
“If you call for resignation, it must be voluntary. It must come from a sense of shame,” he said. “Do you really think they will resign on their own?” he asked.
The cardinal issued a strong warning against military intervention, describing it as a “tragedy” that would bring more harm than good.
Estimates placed the crowd at the EDSA monument at 4,500 during its peak in the afternoon, Police Maj. Jennifer Ganaban, spokesperson of the Quezon City Police District, said.
Different groups also staged a synchronous protest at Rizal Park in Manila to call out government officials linked to corruption.
In an interview with Manila Standard, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) president Renato Reyes said the charges filed against several politicians are merely for “optics.”
“It was only meant for damage control. Our problem here is that the issue has already evolved; it is already with Malacañang. There were already allegations that reached up to the Palace,” he said in Filipino.
As such, Reyes said that more high-ranking officials must be held accountable for the massive corruption in the government.
During the rally, he also castigated the City Government of Manila, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the National Parks Development Committee for supposedly preventing his group from setting up a stage in Luneta.
Reyes insists that they should not be prevented from entering the area even without a written permit.
The city government clarified it had no objections to the Baha sa Luneta 2.0 rally, but organizers should have coordinated with MMDA and the NPDC.
“Roxas Boulevard is under the MMDA while Luneta is under the National Parks Development Committee [NPDC], not with the Manila LGU, so no permits are needed with the city hall,” said Cesar Chavez, Chief-of-Staff of Manila Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso in Filipino.
For its part, the Manila Police District (MPD) clarified that, based on their initial verification, no permit was presented by the group to the Manila Parks and Development Committee.
The MPD recorded an estimated crowd of 3,000 as the program in Luneta ended in the afternoon.
The rallies across the metropolis coincided with the annual Bonifacio Day celebration, when Filipinos come together to commemorate the life and contributions of Andres Bonifacio, known as the Father of the Philippine Revolution.
Bishop of Kidapawan, Jose Colin Bagaforo, said on the day of remembering the life of the hero, people gathered in hopes of better governance.
“The Trillion Peso March movement is the fruit of our collective aspiration to end the corruption and abuse that destroys our economy, morality, and the very spirit of the country… most especially the future of the youth,” he said.
Yesterday, groups making up the Trillion Peso March Movement Laban sa Korapsyon at Political Dynasty (Against Corruption and Political Dynasties) also released a “Unity Statement” containing their demands from the government.
“On November 30, we remember Andres Bonifacio and the heroism of the Katipuneros who fought for our country,” the movement’s statement read in Filipino.
“Like them, let us join hands in the Trillion Peso March Movement, led by the Church and our brothers and sisters from other denominations, civil society, and various sectoral formations, to take our cue from the Katipunan, and Andres Bonifacio, to put an end to corruption,” they further wrote.
Their demands include:
1) Reveal the truth [about the flood control scandal]. No coverups. No sacred cows.
2) Return stolen funds. Forfeit assets [ of corrupt officials, contractors], now!
3) Imprison corrupt officials. Charge and penalize all those involved [in the flood control scandal].
4) Respect the Constitution. No to the military junta, no to revolutionary government.
5) Real reforms, starting with the removal of political dynasties and abuses in the party-list system.
After the rallyists dispersed, acting Philippine National Police chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. extended his appreciation to the organizers, marshals, and participants of the mass action for “exercising their rights with discipline and respect for public order.”
“Your cooperation played a vital role in ensuring that today’s activities ended generally peacefully and without major incident,” he told participants.
