Thousands rally in Philippines over corruption, demand leaders step down

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets on Sunday to demand that top Philippine leaders step down, in a fresh round of protests held in the country’s key cities against widespread corruption.

Carrying red flags and banners, protestors marched toward the Malacanang Palace, the official residence and office of the president in the capital, as they dubbed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the “king of the corrupt.”

They briefly faced off with the police, who had set up a perimeter barricade, before dispersing without any clash. According to police and local media reports, at least 25,000 joined the rallies in Manila and elsewhere in the country that were organized by civil society groups.

The series of demonstrations, including one in September that led to riots and left one protester dead, followed Marcos’ order to investigate anomalous flood-mitigating government projects. The scandal supposedly cost 1 trillion pesos, or about $17 billion, allocated to projects that were substandard or even nonexistent over the last 15 years.

A university student who joined the rally said both Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte should be held liable and all corrupt officials put in jail.

Activist Renato Reyes said, “Marcos cannot wash his hands clean and make it appear that he is not involved…Corruption is now knocking on the doors of the Office of the President.”