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‘I’d be in the streets with them if…’
MANILA, Philippines — Despite rumors linking the coming anti-corruption rallies to destabilization plots, President Marcos will not stop Filipinos from joining the scheduled protests on Sept. 21, encouraging them to express their outrage against those who stole their money through anomalous projects.
“If I (were not) the president, I might be out in the streets with them,” he said at a press briefing yesterday at Malacañang.
“I brought this up. And it is in my interest that we find a solution to what has become a very egregious problem,” he said. “It’s actually known to many people, but it has now been exposed to the general public. Do you blame them for going out into the streets?”
“Let your sentiments be known to them – how they hurt you, how they stole from you. Shout at them... You demonstrate. Just keep it peaceful. If it is not peaceful... the police will have to do its duty to maintain peace and order,” he said.
Sept. 21 marks the 53rd anniversary of martial law declared by his father and namesake.
“To show that you are enraged, to show that you are angry, to show that you are disappointed, to show that you want justice, to show that you want fairness – what’s wrong with that?” Marcos asked.
The President, who ordered a probe on the alleged irregularities in the flood control projects during his fourth State of the Nation Address, said he shares the sentiments of people who want the corrupt to be held accountable.
“Of course, they are enraged. Of course, they are angry. I am angry. We should all be angry. Because what’s happening is not right. I want to show that there’s justice. I want to show that there is fairness... I want to hold these people accountable, just like they do. So I don’t blame them. I don’t blame them. Not one bit,” the Chief Executive said.
Asked whether he was concerned that the Sept. 21 rally would snowball into violence similar to those witnessed in Indonesia and Nepal, Marcos replied: “Well, that is only if we don’t do anything about it.”
Last week, Marcos formed an independent body that would probe allegations of irregularities, misuse of funds and corruption in government flood control and related projects, saying they endanger the safety of Filipinos and erode trust in state institutions, if proven to be true.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure, whose powers include issuing of subpoenas for attendance of witnesses, would be led by retired Supreme Court associate justice Andres Reyes Jr.
Former public works secretary Rogelio Singson and SGV & Co. country managing partner Rossana Fajardo will serve as its members, while Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who had alleged that some lawmakers are using contractors as “fronts” for flood control projects, will act as special adviser and investigator.
The President had assured the nation that no one would be spared from the investigation on the flood control mess, which reportedly has cost the economy more than P118 billion since 2023.
Dubbed as the “Trillion Peso March,” the planned massive anti-corruption rally by religious groups and other sectors will be held on EDSA on Sept. 21.
Another rally is planned on the same day at Rizal Park, while protest actions are also expected to be held in different sites across the metropolis and the country.
Security plan in place
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has a comprehensive security plan for the anti-corruption protests by various groups in Manila on Sept. 21.
Nearly 1,000 police officers will be mobilized to maintain peace and order in Manila especially around Rizal Park, one of the sites of the protest actions.
“The PNP respects the right of our people to air their grievances through peaceful assemblies. At the same time, we will not allow any group or individual to take advantage of the situation to sow chaos and violence,” acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.
Nartatez said he shares President Marcos’ position that the people have the right to express their outrage against corruption.
Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, PNP public information officer, said the National Capital Regional Police Office will go on full alert status days before the rally. This means all police officers and personnel are required to report during the period.
Aside from the Rizal Park, other sites including Malacañang Palace, the United States embassy, Liwasang Bonifacio, Don Chino Roces Bridge along Mendiola street, España Boulevard corner Macaraeg street and the Department of Public Works and Highways central office would be secured by 957 police officers from the Manila Police District.
Maj. Philipp Ines, spokesman for the MPD, said they have not monitored any credible threat to peace and order but assured the public they are not letting their guard down.
“We will have an assessment, evaluation, we will check the level of the threat,” Ines said at a news briefing at Camp Crame.
Ines said motorists should expect rerouting around the Rizal Park on Sunday.
Tuaño stressed they would exercise maximum tolerance even for protesters with no rally permit from the local government.
Organizers of the Trillion Peso March said they expect to mobilize some 15,000 people for their protest rally in Rizal Park and later at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.
The Quirino Grandstand rally will begin at 9 a.m. Participants will converge with another group of protesters at the People Power Monument in Quezon City at 2 p.m.
The Church Leaders Council for National Transformation (CLCNT) spearheads the Trillion Peso March.
“We are continuing to monitor the ingress in our activity because the number might still grow,” Trillion Peso March spokesman Francis Aquino Dee said.
Another group, Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (TAMA NA) said it expects to mobilize 100,000 individuals for the Rizal Park rally.
“I’m very optimistic, at least at the personal level, because this has never happened since the 2013 Million People March in Luneta – never have different groups of different stripes or colors opposed to corruption agreed to come together, and many more are heeding the call,” said national convenor David San Juan in Filipino.
Dee said they are expecting simultaneous demonstrations in other parts of the country such as Negros, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Bohol.
No ouster call
Fr. Albert Delvo, president of the Manila Ecclesiastical Province School Systems Association, also made clear that their demonstration is intended to denounce corruption and not to call for the ouster or resignation of President Marcos or for the return of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte from The Hague.
“This is only against corruption and we are only referring to some legislators who are concerned, contractors who are concerned and those seeking commissions from them,” he added.
In a statement read by Caritas Philippines president Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, the CLCNT noted the “Imeldific level of greed” among those involved in the flood control corruption.
“Can plunderers have any shame? This Imeldific level of greed coupled with tasteless, relentless and remorseless display of unexplained wealth calls us to say ‘tama na!’” CLCNT said.
“We are a moral and upright people and we revile you. We are decent, law abiding and hardworking Filipinos and we say this isn’t right. It is sick. It is abhorrent and cannot continue,” it said.
“I think, there is now a conscious effort to highlight the issue of corruption and ghost projects, flood control projects that were never finished because funds had been stolen. This has been a problem of the country for so long, and of course, the dominance of political dynasties, under a corrupt system,” TAMA NA’s San Juan added.
Reps. Jose Manuel Diokno, Perci Cendana and Dadah Kiram Ismula of party-list Akbayan have also called on Filipinos to join the Sept. 21 mass action at the People Power Monument in EDSA in full force.
“Now is the time for us to stand up and join the move against bureaucratic corruption. Contents of our government coffers are derived from the sweat of our taxpayers. It is our duty to hold them to account and ensure that funds are spent judiciously and not on the pockets of officials,” Diokno said.
Cendaña reminded the public that the corruption scandal now cuts across administrations, especially during the time of former president Duterte.
He also called on the people to be vigilant as forces, particularly those aligned with the Dutertes, are attempting to hijack the people’s legitimate anger.
“It really enrages us, especially because these government officials have been flaunting their ill-gotten wealth in public through social media. And they keep on raiding our government coffers. There are millions of families suffering from hunger and yet we see this happening,” Ismula said.
The country’s largest labor group, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), meanwhile, has called on workers to join the Sept. 21 protest action.
“We must go beyond rhetoric. This time, let our people’s cries over years of abuse result in a just and lawful reckoning. Only then can we rebuild the Congress and these agencies, which are supposed to serve the people, with genuine reforms of transparency and service and accountability. Otherwise, we will just be replacing the old elites with new elites who will continue robbing the Filipino people blind,” TUCP said. — Evelyn Macairan, Mayen Jaymalin, Ghio Ong, Delon Porcalla, Emmanuel Tupas
