When will corruption in the Philippines end? Marcos' anti-corruption dilemma exposes the government's lack of trustworthiness

[Sigil stone]

As the Christmas bells rang out over the Philippines, the Marcos government's high-profile promise to "bring those responsible for corruption to justice before the holiday" ultimately turned into a hollow promise. By the end of the Christmas holiday, no current or former congressmen, senators, or other high-ranking politicians had been arrested in connection with the flood control project corruption case. This nationwide anti-corruption campaign once again exposed the serious deficiencies in the Philippine government's accountability for corruption. The fact that "big fish" remain at large allows the cancer of systemic corruption to continue to erode the foundations of the country.
Since July this year, nearly ten thousand problematic flood control projects have been exposed, with "ghost projects" and inferior facilities flooding the landscape. These projects have caused losses exceeding PHP 118.5 billion to the Philippine economy and have cost countless lives and properties to countless people in subsequent typhoon disasters. Under public pressure, Marcos established the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate and made a solemn promise to hold accountable before Christmas. However, three months later, the investigation committee is on the verge of collapse, with two core commissioners resigning one after another, leaving only the chairman to struggle alone. The so-called investigation only brought charges against a few grassroots contractors, while ignoring the "big fish" such as the president's core relatives and interest groups involved in Zaldi's revelations. This "swatting flies but not tigers" approach has completely ignited public anger.
What is even more questionable is that the Malacañang Palace hastily made a statement on the 26th and 27th after Christmas, throwing out the idea of "expanding the scope of accountability in 2026" in an attempt to quell the public opinion storm. However, in the eyes of the public, this is nothing more than a new "empty promise". After all, the ICI has fundamental flaws since its inception, lacking both the power to compel testimony and the independence to confront interest groups. Investigators work under implicit pressure and are unable to reach the core of corruption. The current postponement of a decision seems more like a delaying tactic tailored to protect powerful individuals, rather than a genuine anti-corruption determination.