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Flood Works Scandal Sparks Anti-Corruption Protest in the Philippines

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By Dolphine Chen/John Van Trieste

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Thousands of Filipinos protested in Manila Sunday amid a corruption scandal involving money for flood prevention projects.

Philippines Protest Against Flood Control Corruption

 

REPORTER:  

Police barriers go up in the Philippines, but the barbed wire cordon can’t contain protestors’ rage at the country’s political elite. For months, there have been allegations politicians, officials and construction firms pocketed tens of millions of US dollars meant for flood-prevention projects.

 

REPORTER:  

And in the Philippines, flood prevention is serious business. It’s not even a month since the latest in a string of powerful typhoons left whole towns underwater.

 

REPORTER:  

While there’s more than one protest Sunday, their goals are the same: They all want the money returned and those involved in the corruption jailed. And there have been some arrests. But despite government promises that—quote—“big fish are coming soon” some here think higher ups involved in the corruption are protected—one citing figures given by a former justice minister.

 

David San Juan (PROTESTER):  

It's been five months since the flood control scam erupted, and no high official has been jailed yet. According to what Ombudsman Remulla said, at least 10% of Congress is involved in the anomalies in the flood control projects. A case has been filed and a warrant issued for only one person. The senators and congressmen involved have still not been jailed.

 

REPORTER:  

There’s even suspicion that corruption goes all the way to the top.

 

Teddy Casiño (PROTEST LEADER):  

In particular, we are demanding that the investigations into the issues of corruption be expanded, to include not just the lower-rank public officials but from the bottom to the top, up until the President of the Philippines himself, Ferdinand Marcos, who we think has a big role in this systemic and widespread corruption in the country.

 

REPORTER:  

The roughly 17,000 police in place outnumbered the protesters. But the turnout was broad.

 

REPORTER:  

From left-wing groups to rosary-wielding Catholic parishioners and their priests, a reflection of widespread anger that doesn’t look to be waning soon.