Anti-Corruption Protests Demand Philippine President Marcos Jr.’s Resignation

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Manila, Philippines, on Sunday to call for the resignation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The large-scale protest was driven by public outrage over a significant corruption scandal involving government spending on flood-control infrastructure.

The rally, organized by the Kilusang Bayan Kontra-Kurakot (People’s Movement Against Corruption or KBKK), began at Luneta National Park. Protesters then proceeded toward the Malacañang presidential palace. Organizers estimated the crowd size exceeded 20,000 participants. Demonstrators carried signs with messages such as “Marcos Resign” and “All corrupt politicians must be held accountable.”

The public anger stems from the “Trillion-Peso” scandal, where powerful political figures, including allies of President Marcos, are accused of taking billions of pesos in bribes. These bribes were allegedly linked to contracts for flood-control projects that were either defective or never completed. Recent extensive damage and casualties from two major typhoons have amplified the public’s frustration over the apparent mismanagement of disaster infrastructure funds.

Two cabinet ministers have already stepped down due to the scandal. Furthermore, a former lawmaker implicated in the case, Zaldy Co, has publicly claimed that President Marcos instructed him to add $1.7 billion to the budget for “dubious public works.” The President has formally denied all such claims.

In a separate, smaller demonstration, mainstream opposition groups supported by the Catholic Church held the “Trillion Peso March.” This group focused its demand on the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is facing separate allegations of misusing government funds. Approximately 5,000 people attended that rally.

The Philippine police deployed over 12,000 officers in Manila and used barricades of barbed wire and container vans to block all routes to the presidential palace. Protesters were halted about a block from the palace gates. Political analysts suggest the ongoing corruption crisis is significantly eroding the administration’s public credibility. Despite the President forming the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate the issue, critics argue the investigation has not shielded him from mounting accusations of wrongdoing.