Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday pledged that many of the 37 powerful senators, members of Congress, and wealthy businesspeople implicated in a major corruption scandal involving flood control projects would be behind bars by Christmas. His remarks come amid growing public anger and planned street protests over mismanagement and alleged graft.

Marcos stated that an independent fact-finding commission has filed criminal complaints for graft, corruption, and plunder—a non-bailable offense—against the 37 suspects. Additional complaints were filed against 86 construction company executives and nine government officials for allegedly evading taxes totaling nearly 9 billion pesos ($152 million).

Corruption Amid Natural Disasters

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to typhoons, flooding, and other extreme weather events, making the integrity of flood control projects particularly critical. Recent disasters have underscored this vulnerability: Typhoon Kalmaegi left at least 232 people dead, with 125 missing, primarily due to flash floods in the central region. Days later, Super Typhoon Fung-wong struck the north, causing at least 27 deaths and affecting millions through landslides and flooding.

“I know that before Christmas, the cases of many of those who were named would be concluded and they would end up in jail,” Marcos said, adding that further anomalies are expected to surface. He emphasized, “We don’t file cases for optics. We file cases to put people in jail.”

Asset Freezes and Seizures

The government’s Anti-Money Laundering Council has issued seven orders to freeze assets belonging to corruption suspects, including 1,671 bank accounts, 144 real estate properties, 244 vehicles, and other assets worth 6.3 billion pesos ($107 million). At least 13 luxury cars and SUVs of suspects, including European and British models, were seized by the Bureau of Customs, and initial auctions of seven vehicles have been scheduled.

Denmark’s ambassador to the Philippines, Franz-Michael Mellbin, said at a business forum in Manila that the crackdown sends a “healthy signal” that public officials will face consequences for theft of public funds.

New Jail for Corruption Suspects

To manage the expected influx of detainees, officials have unveiled a new jail in suburban Quezon City capable of holding up to 800 corruption suspects. Authorities pledged that no VIP treatment would be afforded to powerful individuals facing trial.

Scope of the Investigation

Investigators are reviewing 9,855 flood control projects worth over 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) initiated since Marcos assumed office in mid-2022. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto told legislators in September that up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) may have been lost to corruption since 2023 alone.

The probe implicates lawmakers both allied with and opposed to Marcos, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin, who denies wrongdoing. Allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte, a frequent critic of Marcos, are also under scrutiny.

“Nobody’s immune. Nobody would be exempted in these investigations,” Marcos asserted, signaling the administration’s commitment to holding all implicated individuals accountable.

Source: AP News – Powerful politicians will be in jail by Christmas for corruption scandal, Philippine president says

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