Bacolod anti-corruption protest draws thousands

BACOLOD CITY – “Jail the thieves,” thousands of Negrenses chanted as they marched through Bacolod City on Sunday afternoon in an anti-corruption rally held simultaneously with the Trillion Peso March 2.0 in Metro Manila.

Speakers at the protest held in front of the replica of the Bacolod City Government Center at the Bacolod Public  Plaza called on the protestors to take an active part in ensuring the prosecution of the corrupt who stole from government coffers.

READ: 86 dioceses nationwide back Trillion Peso March vs corruption on Nov. 30

“It is not enough to just take part in rallies; let us all stay vigilant to prevent corruption and to see to the prosecution of the culprits,” said former Negros Occidental Gov. Rafeal Coscolluela, one of the rally’s organizers.

Caesar Beloria of the Council of Concerned Citizens, which has been investigating alleged anomalous flood control projects in Bacolod, called on the public to file charges against the culprits.

Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon, whose message was read for him by Fr. Marvin Labasan, chancellor of the Diocese of Bacolod,  said perpetrators of these anomalous government projects must be held accountable.

“We gather to express to all the leaders that the damage caused by substandard government projects, ghost projects, and excessive theft has caused great damage to the livelihoods and lives of the people, ” the prelate said.

Buzon added: “We cannot remain silent because people’s lives have been damaged, destroyed, and lost because of greed and corruption.”

Bacolod City police director, Col. Joeresty Cronica, estimated the crowd at about 3,000./coa