Protesters arrive at Rizal Park, Luneta in Manila on Sunday, September 21, 2025, to join the “Baha sa Luneta” demonstration against government corruption. The protest, which coincides with the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law, calls for accountability over the alleged multi-trillion-peso corruption in anomalous flood-control and infrastructure projects. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday appealed to protesters on September 21 to make demonstrations violence-free as it assured that the administration recognizes their right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
Progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) announced it would join the “Kilos Bayan Kontra Kurakot” rally at Liwasang Bonifacio on September 21 and lead a march to Mendiola afterwards to “remember the declaration of Martial Law 54 years ago and mark the first anniversary of last year’s massive anti-corruption protests sparked by the flood control scam.”
“Unang-una, hindi naman po pinipigilan ng Pangulo at hindi hinahadlangan ang saloobin or pagsasabi ng saloobin ng ating mga kababayan sa mga ganitong klaseng pagtitipon,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
“Pero hindi po naman kinakailangan na magkaroon ng karahasan, pananakit o pagkasawi pa ng ating mga kababayan dahil ang ating Pangulo po ay nakikinig sa bawat hinaing ng ating mga kababayan,” she said in a press briefing.
The largely peaceful Sept. 21 anti-corruption demonstrations last year erupted into violence after riots were instigated by some groups, leaving one male protester dead while another was injured from stabbing.
“Handa po ang ating kapulisan sa darating na September 21,” Castro said.
“At ang dasal lang po natin at ang pakiusap sa ating mga kababayan – karapatan ninyo po ang magsalita, karapatan ninyo po ang manawagan – huwag na lang po sana maging marahas, at ang karapatan naman po ninyo na manawagan ay para madinig kung ano ang nais ninyong ipadinig at makarating sa ating pamahalaan,” she added.
The Palace official said the administration was aware of the public’s clamor against corruption and was not abandoning its mandate to hold those responsible in the flood control fiasco accountable.
Castro also pushed back against BAYAN’s criticisms against the Marcos administration.
“Tanungin ninyo muna po sila kung ano ang dahilan para manawagan sila na mag-resign ang Pangulo dahil ang Pangulo po ay nakikita natin kung ano po ang ginagawang mga aksyon sa tulong ng ibang mga ahensiya kung saan nagkakaroon ng mabilisang pagsasampa ng mga kaso—matapos na aralin ang mga ebidensiya, ito naman po ay naisasampa,” she said, arguing that the Ombudsman acted upon the allegations against the president’s cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Ano pa po ba ang nais ng mga taong ito? Wala na po yata itong satisfaction. Pero still, iyan po siguro ang lagi nilang sinasabi, at sabi nga natin, may mga taong wala nang nakita kung hindi negatibo sa gobyerno, at hindi natin sila mapipigilan kung iyan ang kanilang mithiin sa kanilang buhay,” Castro said.
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