A Government of Plunder: Hold Marcos Jr. and Duterte Accountable
Three months have passed since the widespread corruption within the Marcos Jr. administration was exposed, yet not a single official responsible for plundering public funds has been held accountable. Marcos Jr.’s expressions of “disappointment” over the state of the nation ring hollow and hypocritical, as he himself, a bureaucrat-capitalist, is at the center of – and benefits from – the very system that exploits the country’s wealth.
The poorest Filipinos continue to bear the brunt of the government’s negligence and failed infrastructure programs. The victims of this corruption are the Filipino people themselves. The administration’s substandard and failed flood-control projects – products of incompetence, negligence, and the blatant misuse of public funds – have intensified the devastation caused by recent typhoons and heavy rains. These disasters, which should have been preventable, have claimed hundreds of lives, turning negligence into deadly consequences under a corrupt and unaccountable government.
Furthermore, those who dare to protest are being criminalized. On September 21 alone, nearly 300 individuals, including minors, were arrested, and some were brutally killed by the police. Others who spoke out or joined demonstrations now face subpoenas from the PNP, a clear attempt to intimidate and silence dissent against the administration.
On November 14, Zaldy Co, one of those benefiting from the plunder of public funds, publicly revealed that Marcos Jr. and Rep. Martin Romualdez instructed him to insert ₱100 billion in allocations into the 2025 Philippine national budget. This claim is plausible, as Marcos Jr. is responsible for drafting the National Expenditure Program and signing the General Appropriations Act passed by Congress. Such revelations raise serious concerns about corruption at the highest levels and underscore the urgent need for transparency and accountability from Marcos Jr., the implicated congressmen, and the contractors involved in these illicit budget insertions.
Meanwhile the Duterte faction is opportunistically positioning itself, undermining the people’s efforts to hold corrupt officials accountable. Sarah Duterte is now presented as “untainted” by corruption, despite having misappropriated public funds through her confidential funds, for which she has yet to provide a full accounting.
The Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) demands the immediate resignation of Marcos Jr. and Duterte. We hold them responsible for the pervasive systemic corruption and abuse of power afflicting the nation. The APCHRP urges the international community to express unwavering solidarity with the Filipino people and actively support their pursuit of justice.
#MarcosDuterteResign
#MarcosSingilin
#DutertePanagutin
#KurakotManagot
