Hundreds of thousands from Iglesia ni Cristo protest corruption in flood control projects, demanding accountability amid scandal involving officials
MANILA: A powerful Philippine religious sect rallied in Manila on Sunday demanding accountability in a spiralling flood control corruption scandal.
Police estimated hundreds of thousands attended the protest organised by the Iglesia ni Cristo at Rizal Park.
Construction firm owners, government officials and parliament members stand accused of pocketing funds for substandard or ghost infrastructure projects.
President Ferdinand Marcos’s congressman cousin is among those implicated in the scandal.
INC spokesman Edwil Zabala told attendees “we are not fighting the government” while wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “Transparency for a Better Democracy”.
He slammed attempts to portray the rally as an attempt to destabilise the administration.
Zabala cited the need to investigate “emerging evidence” in the multipronged probe.
Last week, a former congressman who fled the country released a video claiming President Marcos himself was involved.
The administration has derided the allegation as “wild speculation”.
“What’s saddening about this is our leaders were involved… We want change,” said Rake Tribiana, a 32-year-old real estate broker and INC member at the rally.
Tribiana added “this is the call of most of the Filipino people” beyond just their church.
A concurrent rally led by Duterte family supporters calling for Marcos’s resignation drew an estimated 2,000 people.
Rage over ghost infrastructure projects mounted after Marcos highlighted them in his July state of the nation address.
The protests follow two powerful typhoons that left more than 250 people dead, many due to flooding.
Marcos recently promised arrests in the corruption case before Christmas.
INC, claiming about three million members, helped Marcos and running mate Sara Duterte win the 2022 elections.
The church previously endorsed Rodrigo Duterte ahead of his 2016 presidential victory.
In January, INC held a huge rally opposing the mooted impeachment of Vice President Duterte.
Duterte has had a spectacular falling out with one-time ally Marcos since their election victory. – AFP
