By ALFRED GABOT, Editor in Chief

MANILA – As people’s anger soars over what they perceive as slow progress in the multi-billion-peso flood control projects scandal investigations, various sectors are mounting more protest rallies nationwide as calls for the reimposition of the death penalty, particularly for plunder, have mounted.

On the proposed revival of death penalty, Malacanang responded saying this requires thorough study, adding there’s a need to exercise caution as it would be unfortunate if an innocent person were implicated in crimes he or she did not commit.

To press their demands, students from various universities and colleges in Metro Manila walked out of their classes last week to protest against corruption in government, chanting calls for accountability and waving banners. They vowed to converge again for more protest rallies. Students in the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) also held their rally inside their campus. (See related stories)

This as the Supreme Court earlier ordered government officials to respond to the petition for a writ of kalikasan over the government’s flood control projects. Among the officials required to comment on the petition are President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, according to the high court’s order dated October 15.

Other respondents named by the High Court to answer are Department of Budget and Management, Department of Public Works and Highways,Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Metro Manila Development Authority and the River Basin Control Office. 

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, at the same time, assured prompt action once cases arising from the ongoing investigation on anomalous projects are filed in court.

The petition for a writ of kalikasan before the SC was filed last September 11 by lawyers and citizens against government officials, local government units, and all contractors awarded with flood control projects. They assert that “long years of neglect and willful destruction” have led to “brutal environmental degradation.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., meanwhile, vowed to press on with his administration’s campaign to rid the government of corruption, saying the process “will be hard and sometimes painful” but necessary to rebuild public trust.

Speaking at the awarding of the 2025 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos in Malacañang, Marcos said the honorees – teachers, soldiers, and police officers – embodied integrity and service amid eroding confidence in public institutions.

“Bawat tapat na guro, sundalo, at pulis ay isang tagumpay laban sa katiwalian (Every honest teacher, soldier, and police officer is a victory against corruption),” the President said.

“Patuloy tayo sa paglilinis ng hanay ng pamahalaan upang matiyak na ang bawat opisyal ay karapat-dapat sa tiwalang ibinibigay ng taumbayan (Let us continue to cleanse the ranks of government to ensure that every official is worthy of the trust placed in him/her by the people).”

Marcos admitted that the fight against corruption is an uphill battle, but one that must continue for the sake of future generations.

“It will be hard and sometimes, it will be painful, but it will be worth it because what we are fighting for is a country that our children will inherit – a nation they can be proud of,” he said.

In other developments:

1.    The Department of Justice has issued new Immigration Lookout Bulletin orders on 19 more individuals tagged in the flood control project fiasco, placing them on a travel watchlist at the Bureau of Immigration. This adds to the initial 33 lawmakers who were issued ILBOs on October 8.

2.    The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said the 13 luxury vehicles of contractor couple Pacifico “Curlee” II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya  will be auctioned off and are expected to raise P100 million for the government coffers.

3.    Malacañang brushed off a “letter of sentiment” filed before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) seeking to probe First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ alleged ties to former special envoy to China for trade Maynard Ngu, calling the complaint baseless and irrelevant to the ICI’s mandate.

In another development, for the first time, ending government corruption has emerged as the second most important issue Filipinos expect the government to address, OCTA Research Group disclosed.

The OCTA survey’s results, released on October 20, found that nearly one in three Filipinos ranked corruption among their top three national concerns. This is the highest share recorded since 2021 and a huge uptick from the 13% posted in July. 

OCTA Research Group President Ranjit Rye said that while corruption has consistently ranked among the top 10 national concerns in their quarterly surveys over the past four years, this is the first time it has broken into the top five.

Concern over government corruption was highest in Metro Manila, where 53% of respondents ranked it among their top three issues needing urgent attention. In Balance Luzon, 34% cited corruption as a top concern, followed by 23% in the Visayas and 18% in Mindanao — the lowest among all regions.

The growing concern over graft and corruption also marks a shift in Filipino priorities, surpassing perennial issues like low wages, lack of jobs, and poverty.