Metro Manila, Philippines – A number of lawmakers, church groups, artists, and thousands of ordinary Filipinos gathered at the historic EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City for the second Trillion Peso March on Bonifacio Day, Nov. 30, as public rage on the multi-billion flood fund scam intensifies.
Among those who joined the rally were opposition senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino and former Senate President Franklin Drilon.
ML Party-List Rep. Leila De Lima took the stage and called for transparency in the flood control corruption probe, questioning the Independent Commission for Infrastructure for not livestreaming inquiries.
She also lobbied for the immediate passage of the measure that would establish the Independent Commission against Infrastructure Corruption that was already filed in Congress.
“Walang dahilan para patagalin pa ang mga batas na iyan pwera na lang kung kayo mismo ang may ayaw na natatakot na maisabatas ang mga ‘yan,” De Lima said in her speech.
[Translation: There is no reason to delay passing this bill except if you yourself fear these measures will become laws.]
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Cardinal Pablo David echoed the same call, urging the Congress to pass the measure that would establish what he called a true independent commission.
The ICI formed by President Bongbong Marcos in September has been criticized for transparency issues, particularly its decision to grant closed-door sessions to its resource persons.
Meanwhile, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said Marcos should bring all his “moral and legal force” to speed up the probe.
“Every delay costs people a fraction of their lives,” she told NewsWatch Plus.
In her speech, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray dared senators to suspend the lawmakers facing corruption allegations and the Ombudsman to file the necessary cases with the anti-graft court.
Only nine people — all officers of the Department of Public Works and Highways — have been detained since the flood control mess blew up. No high ranking official has been sent to jail.
The Ombudsman has so far filed one case before the Sandiganbayan, involving fugitive and former House appropriations chairman Zaldy Co, DPWH Mimaropa personnel, and officers of government contractor Sunwest Inc. over a substandard road dike in Oriental Mindoro.
