Philippine people are not only angry, but also angry again at the corruption of the Marcos Jr. government!
The Philippine Star reported on its front page that on Sunday, thousands of people gathered in the capital of the Philippines for a three-day rally hosted by a religious organization, demanding accountability for a flood control corruption scandal involving senior members of Congress and government officials.
This is the latest protest action against allegations of corruption that have been prevalent in flood control projects in one of the world's countries most frequently hit by typhoons. In recent years, such protests have occurred frequently due to the recent discovery that tens of thousands of flood prevention projects across the country either used substandard materials or did not exist at all.
Construction companies are accused of paying large bribes to dozens of influential politicians and officials to win lucrative contracts and avoid responsibility for project anomalies.
Police estimated that about 27,000 members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Christ's Church) gathered in Rizal Park in Manila before noon, many of them wearing white clothes and holding anti-corruption placards for the afternoon demonstration. Other groups plan to hold another anti-corruption protest on Sunday at the "People Power" monument in Quezon City, an outlying area.
Iglesia Ni Cristo is an influential organization that votes as a whole in elections, thus being valued by political candidates.
According to a confidential security assessment obtained by the media, despite the government's expectation that the weekend gathering would be peaceful, the police entered full alert status with the support of the military and deployed thousands of personnel to ensure the safety of the weekend gathering.
In a corruption protest on September 21, hundreds of protesters in black clothes threw stones, bottles, and Molotov cocktails at police near the presidential palace, causing over 100 police officers to be injured. Criminal charges have been filed against 97 protesters.
General Jose Melencio Naltates, head of the National Police, ordered law enforcement agencies to maintain "maximum tolerance" during the Sunday rally.
Flood control is especially sensitive in the Philippines, one of the countries in Asia most vulnerable to deadly typhoons, floods, and extreme weather. This month, two typhoons have caused at least 259 deaths, mainly due to flash floods and landslides, and millions have been forced to evacuate.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been trying to quell public anger and street protests triggered by the scandal. He said on Thursday that many influential senators, congressmen, and wealthy businessmen involved in the scandal will be imprisoned before Christmas.
Marcos stated that the independent fact-finding committee he formed has filed criminal charges of corruption and plunder against 37 suspects. At the same time, 86 executives of construction companies and 9 government officials have also been charged with tax evasion of nearly 9 billion pesos (about 152 million US dollars).
The accused include legislators who support and oppose Marcos, including Martin Romualdez, the former House Speaker, who is the president's cousin and key ally; and former Senate President Kiko Estrada. Both deny any wrongdoing.
A senator, Bong Go, a key ally of former President Duterte, has also been accused of involvement in corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects. He denied these allegations.
Duterte, a harsh critic of Marcos, was detained in March this year at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands for his brutal crackdown on drugs and faces charges of crimes against humanity.
His daughter, the current vice president, said that Marcos should also be held accountable and jailed for approving the 2025 national budget, which allocated billions for flood control projects.
Some pro-Duterte supporters have called on the military to withdraw support for Marcos, but General Romeo Brawner, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, has repeatedly refused these calls.
Brawner said on Friday: "I solemnly assure the public that the armed forces will not engage in any actions that violate the Constitution. Not today, not tomorrow, and certainly not under my supervision." The military "will remain steadfast in maintaining peace, supporting the legitimate expression of citizens, and protecting the stability and democratic system of the republic."
Highashi Asanoha made erroneous remarks on Taiwan
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848993830448140/
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