Petilla calls for accountability at 81st Leyte Gulf Landings Anniversary

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

PALO, Leyte — Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla on Monday led the 81st commemoration of the Leyte Gulf Landing, urging national and local leaders to uphold integrity and justice amid recent corruption controversies.

“Freedom was never free, it was bought with blood, sacrifice, and unwavering resolve,” Petilla said, addressing war veterans, dignitaries and visitors gathered at the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park.

Petilla drew parallels between the sacrifices of the past and the moral battles of the present, describing the recent flood control fund scandal as “staggering, appalling and embarrassing.”

FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla leads the wreath-laying ceremony during the 81st commemoration of the Leyte Gulf Landing on Oct. 25, 2025, at the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park in Palo, Leyte. PHOTO BY NESTOR ABREMATEA

He lamented that such controversies “have deeply eroded the confidence of the people in the government,” and called for stronger accountability to prevent history from repeating itself.

“If those responsible go unpunished, our forefathers who fought and died on this very land would probably rise from their graves to ask — are we still worth dying for?” Petilla said.

Petilla also highlighted Leyte’s local anti-corruption initiative, announcing the implementation of a time-lapse monitoring system for all provincial infrastructure projects to ensure transparency and prevent “ghost projects.”

He said that “the national government is now in a battle and it is time for local governments to step up and help in any way we can.”

The Leyte Gulf Landing, which occurred on Oct. 20, 1944, marked the start of the Allied invasion of the Philippines led by American Gen. Douglas MacArthur, fulfilling his promise to liberate the nation from Japanese occupation.

The subsequent naval battle was a complex series of engagements from Oct. 23 to 26, 1944, in which the Allied forces fought the Imperial Japanese Navy, which suffered a decisive defeat that rendered its fleet combat-ineffective for the remainder of the war.

In a brief interview with The Manila Times, Miss Universe Philippines-Leyte candidate Kareyl Cabahug of Javier town said the commemoration is “a powerful reminder for the youth to honor the sacrifices of our heroes by living with purpose and patriotism.

“As young women, we must carry forward their legacy: to be brave, compassionate, and proud of our country,” she said.

Cabahug and other Miss Universe Philippines Leyte candidates joined the commemoration as part of the province’s ongoing tourism and heritage campaign to promote Leyte as a symbol of courage, freedom and hope.