Church, business, civic leaders warn vs forces hijacking anti-corruption anger
MANILA, Philippines — As thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo members and Duterte loyalists took to the streets over the weekend, a coalition of church, business and civic leaders warned that "selfish interests" are exploiting public anger over corruption to advance political agendas while shielding those truly responsible for plunder.
In a joint statement shared over the weekend, the Roundtable for Inclusive Development — a group that includes Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, former Senate president Franklin Drilon, former Cabinet secretaries, and senior business leaders — called for a range of policies systemic reforms to prevent the further "wanton ... plunder of the nation's coffers," while cautioning against efforts to weaponize people's anti-corruption sentiment.
"Selfish interests continue to tap into heightened public anger to advance political agendas that have little regard for the plight of families and communities, especially those hit by the recent spate of natural calamities, some made worse by man-made risks and government inaction," the group said.
The joint statement — which was released "in solidarity with Catholic and Evangelical Churches" — comes after separate rallies by INC and Duterte supporters in Metro Manila yesterday. Duterte supporters carried placards urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to step down, while similar calls were reportedly shot down during the INC rally. Protesters say they want genuine accountability in the flood control corruption scandal.
Rumors of a plot to oust Marcos have been a constant undercurrent in his administration, especially amid current outrage over hundreds of anomalous public works projects that were inserted in the national budget every year since 2022, the start of his administration. Marcos himself has tried to manage the narrative, saying in a November 13 press conference that those implicated in the flood-control scandals “will not have a Merry Christmas,” a public signal that prosecutions are imminent.
Tthe Roundtable for Inclusive Development sees the current crisis as a test of the government's capacity to “hold everyone accountable — dati, ngayon, at bukas (before, now and tomorrow).”
Support for fact-finding body
A significant portion of the group's statement focused on the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the temporary fact-finding body created by Marcos in September. Despite its limited mandate, the group said the commission “has been doing our country invaluable service,” citing its efforts “gathering data, receiving and vetting voluminous testimonies, and tapping government, private and civil society resources."
“These efforts,” the coalition said, “are beginning to answer the public’s burning questions: who are liable, who are responsible, and who should go to jail.”
The group called on Congress to pass a law creating a permanent and fully independent People’s Commission — one they said must be “capable of conducting impartial inquiries free from political interference.”
To the president, they added a pointed appeal: “We enjoin the President to reaffirm his commitment to addressing corruption by certifying this as urgent.”
They also demanded concrete action from one of the controversy’s central figures: former House appropriations chairperson Elizaldy Co, who remains abroad despite charges against him.
Call for Co's return, political reforms
“We demand that former Representative Elizaldy Co return to the country and formalize his statements through a judicial affidavit,” the statement said, adding that the independent commission would ensure his and other testimonies would be met with a “fair and thorough investigation."
The coalition also paired these calls with a push for long-delayed political reforms, saying these are essential to dismantling patronage systems that have enabled “wanton, systematic plunder of the nation’s coffers.” They expressed support for laws banning political dynasties, making the budget transparent, enacting the Freedom of Information Act, and comprehensive reviews of both the party-list system and the Local Government Code “to strengthen genuine people’s participation.”
In his own post sharing the statement, Cardinal David framed the coalition's work as an example of "synodality" — the Catholic principle of listening and discerning together — applied to nation-building. "The challenges we face as a nation today demand the same synodal spirit of listening, honest dialogue, and discerning together for the common good," he wrote.
The statement also took the unusual step of publicly praising the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after its chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., reaffirmed the military’s commitment to constitutional order amid speculation that competing factions were courting the AFP.
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