Church, civil society groups call for sustained drive vs corruption in Bacolod

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Church and civil society leaders in Bacolod City on Sunday, November 30, called for a sustained campaign against government corruption, as some 3,000 protesters joined the Trillion Peso March 2.0 at the city’s public plaza.

Participating in the rally were various civil society groups, business and professional associations, media, youth, science and technology groups, transport organizations, and anti-corruption watchdogs. They were joined by protesters from the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R), University of Saint La Salle (USLS), Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod (CSA-B) and La Consolacion College (LCC).

The mass action, organized by Tama Na-Negros and the Catholic Diocese of Bacolod, was intended to maintain pressure on government officials allegedly involved in corruption that deprives the poor of essential services, particularly in flood control projects.

Reverend Father Fhil Duaban, parish priest of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Bago City, said the Church has a crucial role in defending people’s rights. “If we will not do this, then, who will?” he asked the crowd.

Former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela, a key figure in the rally, said, “We need to create noise. We need to sustain these rallies so that those investigations will go down to prosecution of the suspects, and until they return the money they have stolen from the government’s coffer.”

Coscolluela also urged the creation of more citizen watchdogs to monitor government projects.

In Bacolod, the Council of Concerned Citizens (C3) and Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance (BAHA) have been auditing flood control works. 

“We need more. Perhaps, we can start organizing in the barangays, where people have direct knowledge about the projects, and can immediately report if they find something wrong,” he said.

Reverend Father Julius Espinosa of Caritas Bacolod said the protests against corruption will continue. “It will be a series until the Filipino people see justice,” he said. 

Another protest is scheduled in Bacolod on December 10 in observance of International Human Rights Day. – Rappler.com