Provinces erupt in protests against corruption

NEVER AGAIN A member of the Gabriela Women’s Party Bicol, wears on her ear her message as she joins Sunday’s rally in Legazpi City, Albay, denouncing corruption in government and marking the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law. —MARK ALVIC ESPLANA

BAGUIO CITY—Streets, plazas and churches became stages for a nationwide outcry against corruption, as thousands of students, clergy, activists, artists and ordinary citizens demanded accountability from a government accused of plundering public funds intended for flood control projects.

People from different cities, towns and provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao marched, prayed, tolled bell and raised placards in a powerful chorus against graft, fraud in government projects and decades of systemic abuse, just in time for the commemoration of the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law.

In Baguio City, 5,000 protesters—including students, nuns, clerics and artists—converged on Malcolm Square, denouncing padded flood control projects and other anomalous public works.

Martial law survivor Joanna Cariño highlighted the ongoing threat of Red-tagging and tied the protests to the anniversary of martial law, criticizing President Marcos for continuing systemic corruption.

In Tuguegarao City, about 400 protesters held a parade from Rizal Park to condemn corruption in flood control projects, while Dagupan residents participated in a rosary rally and candlelighting organized by the Parish of St. John the Evangelist in response to Archbishop Socrates Villegas’ call to oppose both a corrupt system and the “corrupt hearts and souls within us.”

In Nueva Ecija, dioceses called on priests and parishioners to pray and advocate against graft, emphasizing that public wealth belongs to the people.

Systemic

The demand to prosecute and jail those involved in the plunder of government coffers through anomalous or ghost flood control projects also rang in the Visayan cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tagbilaran and Tacloban, where thousands, mostly clad in black or white, joined the local version of the “Trillion Peso March” initiated in Metro Manila.

In Tacloban, the home city of resigned Speaker Martin Romualdez, young protesters called for his resignation from Congress over allegations linking him to the flood control scandal.

Protests were also held in Bulacan, Angeles City and Olongapo City, where citizens denounced “mismanagement” in government flood control projects and demanded transparency, prosecution of officials and the recovery of ill-gotten wealth.

Church bells tolled across Batangas in protest, accompanied by prayers for victims and the moral conversion of leaders.

In Legazpi City, thousands joined a Holy Mass and peace walk, chanting against corruption and holding placards in black shirts, while environmental groups in Sorsogon protested harmful government-funded infrastructure projects. Bishop Socrates Mesiona led a prayer and indignation rally in Puerto Princesa City, highlighting the “prevalent intolerable systemic corruption” in the country. —WITH REPORTS FROM VINCENT CABREZA, JETHRO BRYAN ANDRADA, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR., YOLANDA SOTELO, ARMAND GALANG, CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE, JUN A. MALIG, JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT, TONETTE T. OREJAS, ANSBERT B. JOAQUIN, DELFIN T. MALLARI JR., MA. APRIEL MIER-MANJARES, MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN, GERALDFORD TICKE, CARLA P. GOMEZ, HAZEL P. VILLA, LEO UDTOHAN, JOEY A. GABIETA, JHUNNEX NAPALLACAN