Thousands of people demonstrated, Sunday (11/30/2025), in the Philippine capital, due to a multi-million dollar corruption scandal in infrastructure works in which authorities, legislators and construction companies were accused.
Anger over so-called “fake projects” to control floods has grown in recent months in the archipelago nation of 116 million people, where hurricanes have submerged entire towns.
Allies and rivals of President Ferdinand Marcos have been embroiled in the scandal since the president revealed it in a speech in July.
“Imprison them now!” chanted the demonstrators who marched down a street in central Manila where the People Power movement that helped topple Marcos’ father in 1986 was organized.
The protest gathered in the capital’s Luneta Park, near the presidential palace.
The first arrests in the scandal were of eight members of the Public Works and Roads Department, and were announced a few days ago. “The big boys will come soon,” the government promised.
But Mervyn Tokero of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines told AFP he was not satisfied.
“It is impossible for corruption to occur without the knowledge of higher authorities,” the 54-year-old said. “They should take responsibility too.”
The Philippines has a long history of publicly funded scandals, in which top politicians convicted of corruption often avoid serving their prison sentences.
A (AFP, Inquirer.net)