Metro Manila, Philippines – The search for accountability into the multi-billion peso flood control fund scam should reach no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said a coalition joining the massive anti-corruption protest on Nov. 30.
On Friday, Nov. 7, “Artikulo Onse” raised their call to hold everyone accountable in the flood control mess, as it announced plans for their rally to be staged at Mendiola, Manila near the Malacañan Palace.The coalition is composed of 23 multi-sectoral groups, with labor leaders Leody de Guzman and Luke Espiritu as co-convenors. De Guzman questioned Marcos’ exclusion in the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s recent case referrals to the Ombudsman – which named two sitting senators, former lawmakers, and a number of public works officials and contractors in the investigation.“Ang mismong pumirma sa budget, kasama na ang 2025, budget ang pinaka-corrupt na budget sa kasayaysan sa bansa, ay wala sa ICI report. Sinong maniniwala sa kalokohan na iyan? Magtutuloy ang pandarambong habang nakaupo ang national disaster sa Malacañang,” he said, referring to Marcos. [The signatory in the 2025 budget, dubbed the most corrupt budget in history, was not in the ICI report. Who would believe that nonsense? The plunder will continue as long as the national disaster sits in Malacañang.]Espiritu, meanwhile, cited an investigative report where the Marcos administration greenlighted the release of over P200 billion unprogrammed funds for priority infrastructure programs in 2023 and 2024, including flood control projects.He said there will only be a “cosmetic solution” in the corruption mess if the investigation doesn’t reach the Palace.“Kung hindi umabot sa Malacanang ang ating paninigil dito sa korapsyon, talagang partial, mga small fish, small fry na siyang magiging resulta lang ng ICI investigation, sacrificial lamb,” he said, adding that both Marcos and even Vice President Sara Duterte should not be spared from any corruption probe.[Translation: If the accountability does not reach Malacañang in this corruption issue, we’d only get partial results. The ICI investigation would only get the small fish.]Malacañang earlier said the president is willing to be investigated should the ICI probe reach him. In response, the ICI said it is “continuously investigating and doing case build-up grounded on evidence and to whoever the evidence points to, the commission will include them in its report and referral to the office of the ombudsman.”
Artikulo Onse, however, cast doubt on the commission’s capability to probe the president, noting that its members were all handpicked by Marcos.
The coalition said the ICI should be dismantled and must be replaced by a so-called “people’s tribunal” composed of individuals from different sectors. It also condemned ICI Chairman’s Andres Reyes’ recent call to love the country and its people despite the corruption in the government.“Anong love kung walang hustisya? Paano mo mamahalin ang mga nanlolokong mga tao? Niloloko na tayo, mamahalin pa,” Flora Santos from women’s group Oriang said. [Translation: What’s love without justice? How can you love people who fooled you? You were played and yet you will still love them?]“Artikulo Onse” is set to hold 11 activities throughout the month, including the Nov. 30 rally and a protest action on Nov. 8 in commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the deadly super typhoon “Yolanda.”
