Thousands mount fresh protests against Philippine corruption

THOUSANDS protested against corruption across the Philippines on Sunday (Nov 30), with a top Catholic official demanding more action from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr while rejecting “shortcuts” to changing the nation’s leadership.  

Police estimated about 8,000 attended demonstrations in the capital, with pockets of protests also in the provinces. Some shouted chants calling for the jailing of corrupt officials at a major park in Manila, while ranking Church officials in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation separately held Mass at a site where a public uprising erupted nearly four decades ago.

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, called on Marcos to “do your job”, while opposing military intervention for regime change.

“We don’t want a transitional council or revolutionary government because we don’t want the Philippines to be a banana republic,” the bishop said. “We don’t want a civilian or military junta even if bishops will be promised positions because it is clear to us that politics is not our area.”

Allegations that government officials and contractors colluded to pilfer billions of pesos for flood mitigation projects triggered anger across the nation. The scandal has slowed economic growth and soured investor sentiment towards the country.

Marcos revamped his Cabinet after the issue broke out, and ordered the swift arrest of corruption suspects. BLOOMBERG