On the first day of the rally organized and led by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), speakers doubled-down on the call of the Filipino people for transparency, accountability, justice, and peace in the midst of the ongoing investigations into the massive theft of public funds through the exposed systematized implementation of “ghost projects” worth billions of pesos.

To date, investigations have revealed that around 470 flood infrastructure were reported in paper as having been completed, and therefore paid from the national budget, but are virtually non-existent.

INC not meddling in politics
The first speaker, Brother Bienvenido Santiago Jr., a minister of the gospel, emphatically debunked malicious insinuations that, in holding the three-day rally for transparency, the INC is meddling in politics. He reminded the attendees that the freedom of citizens, this Church’s members included, to hold a peaceful assembly is enshrined in and guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution.

In his speech, he clarified what transparency, accountability, justice, and peace involve. He said, in Filipino, that the “INC is calling for an investigation that is open to the public so that people will see that it is being conducted without any intention of shielding someone and that it is being carried out without laws being bent.”

INC would like to see that “all who will be proven to have been involved, whoever they are, whatever their position is in the government” are made to answer for their crimes and at the same time required to return the money they stole so that these be used in “projects that will be beneficial to the public,” he said.

Furthermore, the INC also appeals to the government that the investigations be carried out in accordance with the laws of the Philippines and without any actions whatsoever that shield the brains or the masterminds behind the theft of billions from the public coffers.
In explaining the call for peace, Brother Santiago pointed out that the INC does not want the search for truth in the corruption mess to lead to violence. And so, according to him, the INC rejects resolving the current problem by any means that go against the law such as rebellion, coup d’etat, snap elections, and the establishment of civilian-military junta.

“Until the mastermind answers for his crimes, we will continue to be vigilant,” he emphasized.

Against manipulation, diversionary tactics
For his part, INC spokesperson and minister of the gospel Brother Edwil Zabala, warned the attendees to be watchful against manipulation as he decried what obviously is a diversionary tactic. He called out some media personalities, government people, and even political analysts, whose actions, in the eyes of a growing number of Filipinos, amount to a not-so-subtle attempt of distorting the narrative and shielding those who are involved in the massive corruption.

Brother Zabala said, “What they are doing is the opposite of transparency. It is concerning—the ones helping in the investigations get discredited and are threatened with lawsuits; a concerted effort to save the skin of those who profited [from corruption].” His candid observation about the efforts of these individuals—“Halata kayo! [What you’re doing is too obvious]—resonated with the crowd who chanted, “Halata kayo! Halata kayo! Halata kayo!”

Explaining further, he said that it is plain to see why the INC is calling for transparency and justice. “How can the results and conclusion of the investigation [into the personalities involved] be credible to the public when no one but those in the committee” are privy to the going-ons in the investigation. The Filipino people are rightly interested in “who have been implicated, what the evidence are, and the steps and processes the [Independent Committee on Infrastructure or ICI] took” since the stolen funds are from the “blood and sweat” of the Filipinos. As a case in point, he said, of the congressmen whose names surfaced during the investigation and hearings, only a few were summoned and only a few are to face lawsuits. “What is the basis [of the ICI] in foregoing lawsuits against the others? We [the Filipinos] have the right to know this. Hence, the call for transparency.”

What resonated even more with the crowd was what Brother Zabala pointed out as a “coordinated diversionary tactic.” The INC, he said, has been unjustly accused of and is being dragged into the chatter about destabilization. Such tactic amount to a paltry attempt to evade the real issue based on the evidence presented so far, he added. “The government should pursue the truth and not the people who have been robbed. We are not the robbers,” Brother Zabala said.

Expressing the collective feeling of frustration, he said, “Tayo na nga ang ninakawan, tayo pa ang inaakusahan ng destabilisasyon. [We are the victims of theft and yet we are the ones who are accused of destabilization].”

What transparency?
Senator Rodante Marcoleta, the third speaker, pointed out that instead of making things transparent in the ongoing investigation, there have been certain actions by people in the government that prevents so. As an example, he pointed out the refusal of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to admit the Discaya couple into the witness protection program when doing so would have paved the way for them to identify the masterminds behind the flood control corruption scandal without fearing for their life.

He explained that approval of the application to the witness protection program is with the courts, not with the Department of Justice. However, “Even before the process of them being admitted [into the Witness Protection program] can start, efforts were made [preventing them from making it into the program].” This is disappointing, he lamented, especially considering the fact that in their sworn statement, the Discayas named 17 congressmen as being involved.

Another attempt at preventing transparency, Senator Marcoleta said, is evident in how retired Marine Sergeant Orly Guteza, was being treated by those concerned. The senator recalled that in his sworn statement before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Guteza linked former congressman Zaldy Co to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Instead on focusing on what he was spilling and what evidence he may have, further encouraging him to speak up so that the truth may come out, the spotlight was swiveled to Guteza’s sworn statement having been improperly notarized, Marcoleta disclosed.

Regarding the ICI, Marcoleta asked how they could truly be independent when they “turn for help to the House of Representatives, ask for information from the Senate, ask for information from the Sandiganbayan, from the courts, and other government agencies.”

Add to this, he went on, the silence of the committee, for example, regarding the weeks-old affidavit of the former Speaker: “Do you know about it [the submitted affidavit]? Did they [the commission] report to the people what the contents were of his affidavit?” These, he said, are just some of the actions of those concerned that are preventing transparency.
Senator Marcoleta said the call for transparency is a must considering the fact that, as reported, almost a trillion peso has been stolen, “the biggest theft in the history of the Republic of the Philippines,” amounting to “15 percent of the national budget.”

Be ready to be held accountable
Minister of the gospel Brother Arnel Tumanan was the fourth and last speaker on the first day of the INC Rally for Transparency and a Better Democracy. In his opening statements, he called the attention of the attendees on the importance of accountability.

“When a country is riddled with corruption, trust of the people is lost. And when that happens, no matter what plans the government has, no matter what expertise is brought to the table by its economists, the country will fall,” he said.

According to him, the pursuit of accountability doesn’t end with those who have been involved in corruption but extends to all of government leaders, no matter what their position is. “The true leader is not only good with words but is also ready to be held accountable for every act and decision he makes for the country and also the things that happen under his administration,” he explained.

Brother Tumanan pointed out that accountability is truly important and that among government leaders, it involves knowing and accepting that the people will look for service and ask for explanation, especially when there is corruption, since they are the ones who put them into their positions. “Accountability goes beyond saying ‘I am sorry’ but extends to … having the mettle to face the truth and correcting what is wrong,” he said.
In closing, Brother Tumanan called to mind that Filipinos also have a responsibility: “Stand for the truth, don’t turn a blind eye to wrong doings, and do not be afraid to speak against corruption.” He enjoined them to resound the call to those in the government: Identify the masterminds, let the guilty answer for their crimes, and let them return the money of the people.

Crowd estimate and reactions
As reported, the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) reported that the number of attendees peaked at around 6:30 p.m. number more or less at 650,000 people. “The rallyists in general are orderly. There may be so many people but they follow our instructions for order,” said Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) official Edwin Bernardo. Despite the massive crowd, expected to grow even more in the second and third day of the protest, the rally was generally peaceful, said the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Ella May Erese, a businesswoman from Pampanga joined the INC Rally although she is a Catholic, saying “I’m with the INC as they call for transparency, accountability, and justice. As a Filipino, I believe that those who used funds for flood control projects wrongly should be made accountable. Investigations on their crime must be accessible to us because what they spent were our taxes. As a businesswoman, I fear that we will struggle more in the future if public officials continue to steal from the government funds.”

Having the same sentiment regarding the misuse of government funds, Sarah Mendoza, a deaconess and finance officer from the Local Congregation of Bulihan, Ecclesiastical District of Dasmariñas City, Cavite, calls out to the Philippine government: “Be transparent. Do not shield those liable whatever their political affiliation or government position may be. May justice prevail in our country.” – With reports from Kyle Ronuald Arellano, Christian Fherdz Garcia, and Justine Paul Patio