Across the nation on September 21st, thousands of people took to the streets to protest corruption. It's kind of odd seeing as corruption is an accepted way of life in the Philippines. Where were these people during the past two decades? Well, they have been there off and on over the years. A scandal will be uncovered, the people will be outraged, and then after securing the correct permits and being corralled into the designated protest zone the people will be allowed to vent. Then the status quo returns because little to no change is effected.
Why are these periodic protests ineffective? Perhaps because the people know corruption is the accepted way of life and there is nothing to be done about it. Let's take a look at these recent protests and assess the reasons why protesting against corruption is ultimately futile.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2113011/provinces-erupt-in-protests-against-corruption |
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.
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.
You got to love Archbishop Socrates Villegas who has called on Filipinos to oppose both a corrupt system and the “corrupt hearts and souls within us.” He is condemning everyone by demanding they remove the plank from their own eye when the focus of the protests is to condemn the contractors, politicians, and bureaucrats who have been plundering the treasury. There is a time and place for self-reflection and this was not it. Villegas is distracting from political accountability.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2113030/protesters-vow-flood-of-cases-vs-corrupt |
Flexing the might of “people power” in rallies held at Rizal Park in Manila and at the People Power Monument in Quezon City on Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters demanded that all those involved in billions of pesos worth of government flood control projects that turned out to be nonexistent or substandard be held accountable.
“Let us flood them with mobilizations, cases until they are all sent to jail, all of them behind this scam. The biggest corruption scandal ever in Philippine history!” Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima told the crowd at the “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon Laban sa Korapsyon” rally in Luneta.
She likened the controversy to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam in 2013, which she investigated as justice secretary under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
Former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño also reminded the crowd at Luneta to remain vigilant and to remember “the power we as people hold.”
“We will not stop until we get all of them,” he said. “Everyone who is on top of this ‘tatsulok’ (triangle), we will replace them with the flooded ones.”
“The solution is within us. It’s not in the Senate nor in the House, but it is with the Filipino people,” Casiño said.
Shortly before the Luneta program that started at 9 a.m., chants of “Ikulong na ’yan, mga kurakot (Jail the corrupt)” broke out among the protesters who filled the stretch of Roxas Boulevard from Kalaw Avenue to Katigbak Drive.Others carried cardboard cutouts of a toothy crocodile and smirking pig—a reference to greedy politicians who pocket taxes—as well as a luxury car to throw shade at contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who had bragged about owning 40 imported vehicles before they were linked to billions of pesos worth of ghost and substandard government flood control projects.
Present at the rally were veteran activists former Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo, Makabayan Coalition president Liza Maza, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chair Danilo Ramos and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes Jr., among others.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos, for his part, quoted Psalms 12:5: “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise.”
“We believe that the Church should be here with everyone, along with the youth and the elderly, all other sectors in pushing for justice and accountability,” he said.
Some of the protesters then went to the People Power Monument in the afternoon for the Trillion Peso March protest.
The mass action led by civil society group Akbayan echoed the calls for accountability made at Rizal Park. Among the attendees were Senators Francis Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, former Rep. Erin Tañada, and show biz personalities including Angel Aquino and Jodi Sta. Maria.
In his speech, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Caloocan reiterated his earlier call for those involved in corruption to repent.
“To those who enriched themselves with the people’s money, there is still a chance to return to the good side. It is never too late to be converted; return what is not yours,” said David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. monitored the protests conducted in many areas nationwide, adding that despite calls for his resignation, he is confident of completing his term.
“The President is not afraid that these protests will snowball into his ouster, because he was the one who encouraged the people to go ahead and take their calls out on the streets. He was the one who called on Filipinos to express their anger against all the people involved in the systemic corruption in the government,” Palace press officer Claire Castro told dzMM.
That sounds great but filing cases is not as easy as it sounds. First of all one must have standing to file cases before the court. Second of all one must be able to throughly investigate each individual case of alleged corruption and form an air tight case that proves beyond all reasonable doubt the accused is guilty. And if those two are fulfilled then it all depends on the swiftness of the courts. This includes the timing of the initial case from filing to verdict and the length of appeals during which time any person convicted would likely be out on bail just as Imelda Marcos, though convicted of graft, is out on bail pending appeal since 2018!
The recent flood scandals actually aren't very recent and have been ongoing for decades As noted earlier corruption is an accepted way of life in the Philippines and scandals have come and gone largely with no consequence for those involved despite the loudness of the protests.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2111753/ph-corruption-scandals-no-convictions-jail-time-for-those-involved |
The Philippines has long been strained by systemic corruption, with at least 20 percent of yearly government allocations being misused, based on data from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Over the years, no administration has been spared from the stain of the decades-old problem that has always worsened the everyday struggles of millions of Filipinos living a hand-to-mouth existence.
But like how government controversies are met with resistance, corruption scandals have always been denounced – from the NBN-ZTE deal of the Arroyo administration to the anomalous flood control works that was revealed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Perhaps EDSA II which resulted in the ouster of President Estrada is the an exception to the faultily of protests. However, protests against his corrupt successor over the Hello Garci scandal resulted in no action. Despite knowingly being corrupt Arroyo was able to secure a seat in the House after leaving the Presidency which negates the protests against her!
Probably the biggest scandal in recent memory is the PDAF scam. It was revealed that lawmakers had funneled discretionary funds into the accounts of fake NGOs for kickbacks. There was a huge outcry and even a million people march.
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| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_People_March |
The Million People March at Luneta was the first of a series of protests in the Philippines calling for the total abolition of the Pork Barrel fund, which were triggered by public anger over the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Initial calls circulated through social media (mainly on Facebook and Twitter (now X)) to convene a protest on August 26, 2013, at Luneta Park in Manila as well as other cities nationwide and overseas. Some media commentators consider this as the first ever massive rally in the Philippines called and organised mostly through social media channels.
What was the result of this uprising and the subsequent trials?
The Ombudsman filed charges against senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court in June 2014. Enrile, who was accused of getting ₱172.8 million in kickbacks, was charged with 15 counts of graft; Estrada, on accusations that he took kickbacks worth ₱183.793, was charged with 11 counts of graft; Revilla, accused of getting getting kickbacks worth ₱224.5 million, was charged with 16 counts of graft. Enrile's former aide Gigi Reyes was charged with plunder for facilitating the allocation of pork barrel funds to bogus foundations.
In November 2016, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Senator Joel Villanueva after it found Villanueva guilty of "grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service". The dismissal order stemmed from Villanueva's misuse of ₱10 million of his pork barrel funds while he was in Congress representing CIBAC party-list in 2008.
In May 2022, Davao del Sur representative Marc Douglas Cagas IV was convicted by the Sandiganbayan after he pleaded guilty of fraud and falsification of public documents relating to the misuse of ₱13 million of his pork barrel. In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the Ombudsman's ruling of finding probable cause to indict Napoles and DBM officials for graft and corruption for the alleged misuse of Davao del Sur representative Douglas Cagas's pork barrel.
In January 2024, the Sandiganbayan convicted Jinggoy Estrada of 1 count of direct bribery and 2 counts of indirect bribery in the pork barrel case. He was ordered to pay a fine of ₱3 million and could serve up to 16 years in prison. The Sandiganbayan in its August 22 Resolution acquitted Estrada of one count of direct bribery and two counts of indirect bribery, based on reasonable doubt. The Sandiganbayan also convicted Janet Lim-Napoles of 7 counts of corruption of public officials and was sentenced to up to 62 years in prison. She was ordered to pay a fine of ₱262 million. Jinggoy Estrada and Napoles were acquitted of the charges of plunder.
In July 2024, the Sandiganbayan convicted 15 former executives of government corporations of graft and malversation of public funds. The convicted officials made irregular disbursements of ₱51 million from the pork barrel funds of Misamis Occidental Rep. Marina Clarete. Clarete, whose pork barrel was released for bogus livelihood projects, has been in hiding and has not faced trial as of 2024.
On October 4, 2024, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Chief Legal Counsel to the President and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, his former aide Gigi Reyes, and Janet Napoles of plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of Ponce Enrile's Priority Development Assistance Fund during his senatorial term.
In April 2025, the Sandiganbayan rejected Jinggoy Estrada's demurrer to evidence seeking to dismiss 11 graft charges against him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork_barrel_scam#Trials_and_convictions
While the PDAF system was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court the damage had already been done. Only two lawmakers were convicted in connection with the scam while Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged ringleader, was given a heavy prison sentence. Two of those accused are actually back in the Senate. Bong Revilla was re-elected in 2019 but not in 2025, and Jinggoy Estrada was re-elected in 2022, Joel Villanueva, while ordered to be dismissed in November 2016 was re-elected in 2016 and in 2022. His suspension remains in effect but the Senate simply does not care.
However, in addition to the administrative charges, the Ombudsman filed criminal charges against Villanueva in the Sandiganbayan. He was charged with two counts of violation of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, one count of malversation through falsification of public documents. These charges remain pending until today with no final judgment of conviction rendered.
When the dismissal order was issued against him, Villanueva was elected to the senate on May 9, 2016. Villanueva filed a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman, claiming he was a victim of identity theft. But he never stepped down from his senate seat. The Senate has neither suspended nor dismissed him.
The cases against Estrada, Enrile, and Villanueva where filed in 2014 and have yet to be resolved with finality. To make matters worse Senators Estrada and Villanueva have been tagged in the 2025 flood control corruption scandal.
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| https://www.rappler.com/philippines/senators-joel-villanueva-jinggoy-estrada-tagged-alleged-flood-control-kickbacks-bulacan/ |
Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez tagged Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada in alleged flood control fund anomalies.
Hernandez made this claim on Tuesday, September 9, before the House of Representatives’ infrastructure (infra) committee.
Hernandez alleged that Estrada channeled P355 million worth of projects to Hagonoy and Malolos in 2025, with a 30% “SOP” or kickback. DPWH drivers Christian Santiago and Andrei Balatbat were said to be Estrada’s point persons, under the direction of former district engineer Henry Alcantara.
For Villanueva, Hernandez claimed that in 2023 the senator released P600 million worth of projects in Balagtas, Bulacan, also with a 30% cut. The funds, he said, were delivered to Villanueva’s residence in Bocaue by construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza and Alcantara.
According to Hernandez, Alcantara acted as the “chief implementor” who directly coordinated with politicians. He supposedly took a 3% commission for himself and instructed engineers to tell contractors that an additional 2% “finder’s fee” was needed if they wanted to secure more projects.
All three of the accused have denied the allegations. They remain innocent until proven guilty but given their track record, you get what you vote for. If voters put the same people back in office, what are they really protesting? Remember when Duterte said anyone with even the slightest whiff of corruption would be gone?
Interestingly enough the Church thinks the protests were a win.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1259262 |
A group of Church leaders on Monday expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the previous day's mass demonstrations against corruption, calling it a "miracle" that must be "nurtured."
"It kindles a moral fire in our hearts to eradicate corruption once and for all," Church Leaders Council for National Transformation lead convenor Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said in a statement.
"Let us nurture this miracle until our demands are fully realized. The battle against this despicable evil of corruption shall continue."
On Sunday, tens of thousands of people from all walks of life gathered in different parts of the country, most of them at the People Power Monument in Quezon City and the Rizal Park in Manila, to condemn corruption in the government amid the issue on anomalous flood control projects.
Bagaforo expressed gratitude to those who participated "for standing with us in pursuit of the common good."
Meanwhile, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) thumbed down the call of TV host/comedian Vice Ganda to bring back the death penalty for corrupt government officials.
In a social media post, CBCP president and Kalookan Bishop Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David maintained that the Catholic Church is opposed to capital punishment.
"The answer to corruption cannot be more death but a deeper reform of justice, one that protects the poor and holds the powerful accountable," he said.
In a related development, a parish church in Bulacan said it is set to return a vehicle donated by a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official implicated in alleged irregularities in flood control projects in the province.
The pastoral council of San Pascual Baylon Parish said it would return a pickup truck donated by dismissed DPWH-Bulacan First District engineer Henry Alcantara.
It said the vehicle was received in “good faith” to support pilgrimages of the image of the Virgin of Salambao to different parishes.
“[The vehicle] was given wholeheartedly and we accepted it without judgment on the intent of the donor,” the council said in a statement on Monday.
“We are now undertaking the necessary steps to return it properly to the rightful person or institution, through the appropriate legal process.”
The parish said the decision to return the vehicle was made in line with the guidance of the Diocese of Malolos and the CBCP.
It also apologized to parishioners and the public for any concerns caused, adding that the move reflects the Church’s stand for justice and integrity.
Alcantara has been dismissed from service amid an investigation into the anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan under his watch.
What miracle is he talking about? That people protested and raised their voices? This has been done before. Most important of all is the return of a truck donated by dismissed DPWH-Bulacan First District engineer Henry Alcantra. It's not clear that the truck was purchased with ill-gotten gains and then donated in some kind of twisted act of penance but it's possible. It goes to show that corruption in the Philippines affects all sectors as ill-gotten gains are spread as largesse to build goodwill and extend influence by crooked politicians. Tainted money flows even into sacred institutions. How much ill-gotten wealth has been tithed or donated to the Church?
Let's sum up here. Protesting against corruption is futile. These protests are ultimately a safety valve for public frustration, serving to release tension without causing a meaningful shift in the power structure. The people can march and sing and be resolved but if the cases are weak and the courts are slow and the system fails to act then it's pointless. Even more damning, when the people re-elect lawmakers who were involved in corruption that undercuts the protests which were held abasing them. Ultimately the protests of 2025 will bear no fruit and the system will continue as it is. What is needed is an entire overhaul of the justice system, existing laws, and the ethics of Filipinos involved in these situations.
