Progressive alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) has issued a scathing rebuke of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent vlog, in which he expressed shock and dismay over alleged corruption under his administration.
In a strongly worded statement titled “BAYAN to BBM: Spare Us the Crocodile Tears,” the group accused the president of hypocrisy and complicity.
“The Filipino people are not fooled by his crocodile tears,” BAYAN said. “Marcos cannot feign ignorance of the corruption festering under his watch. It is his administration that proposed the bloated national budget riddled with pork, and it is he who allowed congressional insertions by his political allies. Every anomalous project, every questionable allocation, every overpriced program bears his stamp of approval.”
The group also pointed to the unresolved legacy of the Marcos family’s alleged plunder during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“The Marcos family is steeped in corruption. Until today, they have yet to come clean for the more than 20 years of plunder committed during the reign of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Billions of pesos of ill-gotten wealth remain unrecovered while the family continues to flaunt their riches and rehabilitate their tarnished name. For Marcos Jr. to now posture as a champion against corruption is the height of hypocrisy.”
BAYAN further criticized the president for evading scrutiny during budget deliberations, noting that Congress extended “courtesy” to shield the Office of the President from questioning.
“If Marcos is serious, why did he avail of the courtesy given by Congress to shield the Office of the President from questioning in the budget deliberations? Why does he not order his minions in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to come clean and publicly divulge all the shenanigans that have transpired under his watch?”
The statement concluded with a call to action, urging Filipinos to reject performative gestures and demand real accountability.
“Only by exerting public pressure can we compel this administration to go beyond theatrical displays of ‘concern’ and feigned ignorance. The fight against corruption will not be won by the tears of a Marcos, but by the collective action of the people demanding truth, accountability, and justice.” (ZIA LUNA)
