Eastern Visayas echoes call to hold Marcos-Duterte accountable, pushes for National Transition Council

By Veronika Generyll Barbosa

TACLOBAN CITY – In the bailiwick of the Marcos-Romualdez clan, progressive groups from different sectors in Eastern Visayas gathered at the RTR Plaza to call for the prosecution of Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Sara Duterte for their alleged involvement in the large-scale corruption and malversation of public funds. 

Paul Lachica, regional spokesperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Eastern Visayas (BAYAN-EV), challenged the government’s seriousness in addressing the widespread corruption.

 Lachica said the creation of the  Independent Commission for Infrastructure is meant to divert the attention of the public from the culpability of Marcos Jr. 

Lachica said both Marcos and Duterte should resign and be replaced by a National Transition Council with representatives from various sectors. 

Jerx Aliposa of Save Kankabatok Advocacy criticized the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Romualdez clan–the longstanding political dynasty in the city–for the environmental damages brought about by the Causeway Project along Cancabato Bay.

“In a Facebook post by a local politician, the construction of the Causeway Project is temporarily halted claiming that ‘only’ one billion pesos has been used so far which could have been reallocated to fund hospitals, education, and public services but instead embezzled by corrupt officials,” Aliposa said in the vernacular. 

Magsasaka at Siyentipiko Para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), meanwhile, called on the government to junk Rice Tariffication Law, which it said exacerbates the already deplorable state of the agriculture sector in the region. 

“Farmers are joining the protests because of the meager budget for agriculture, which is only 3% of the national budget,” Hannah Aranas of MASIPAG said. (RVO)

The post Eastern Visayas echoes call to hold Marcos-Duterte accountable, pushes for National Transition Council appeared first on Bulatlat.