"Tens of thousands of people are gathering in the Philippines' capital, Manila, demanding accountability over a corruption scandal linked to flood-control projects and top government officials, including allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The three-day rally, which begins on Sunday, is the latest display of outrage over the discovery that thousands of flood defence projects across the typhoon-prone country were made from substandard materials or simply did not exist."
"Police estimated that 27,000 members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, or Church of Christ, gathered in Manila's Rizal Park before noon, many wearing white and carrying anticorruption placards, for the afternoon demonstration. Brother Edwin Zabala, spokesman for the church, said the three-day rally is aimed at expressing our sentiment and lend the voice of the Iglesia ni Cristo to the calls of many of our countrymen condemning the enormous evil involving many government officials. Other groups were scheduled to hold a separate anticorruption protest later on Sunday at the People Power Monument in suburban Quezon city."
"The country's military reaffirmed support for the government before the planned demonstrations in Manila, where the Philippine National Police say they will deploy 15,000 police as security. The protests follow allegations that numerous well-connected figures, including Marcos's cousin and former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez, pocketed large sums for anti-flooding projects that were low in quality or never completed at all. Public outrage has flared again after recent storms hammered large swaths of the country earlier this month and left at least 259 people dead, and Marcos has promised that those implicated in the scandal would be in jail before the Christmas holiday. The Department of Finance has estimated that the coun"
Widespread anger has erupted over billions of pesos spent on substandard or nonexistent flood-control infrastructure. Tens of thousands gathered in Manila to demand accountability for a corruption scandal tied to flood-control projects and top officials, including allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Police estimated 27,000 Iglesia Ni Cristo members rallied in Rizal Park wearing white and carrying anticorruption placards. A church spokesman said the rally aims to lend the church's voice in condemning the alleged wrongdoing. Other groups planned separate protests in Quezon City. The military affirmed support for the government and 15,000 police were deployed for security. Allegations involve well-connected figures, including Martin Romualdez, accused of profiting from low-quality or incomplete anti-flooding projects. Recent storms that killed at least 259 people intensified public outrage and prompted promises of prosecution before Christmas.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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