“Ibalik ang pera ng taumbayan.”
Return the people’s money.
This was the firm directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. regarding the stolen taxpayers’ funds linked to anomalous flood control projects, Malacañang announced on Wednesday.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President’s message is clear: punishment is not enough.
“It is not enough to file cases or send them to jail. What the President wants is for the money to be returned to the people,” Castro stressed during a Palace briefing.
Recovering Stolen Wealth
Following Marcos’ order, government agencies swiftly moved to track down and recover the stolen funds. The efforts have already led to the freezing of bank accounts, assets, and luxury vehicles worth nearly half a billion pesos linked to personalities involved in the alleged scam.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in coordination with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), is leading the charge to ensure every peso is accounted for.
Marcos’ Anger Over Revelations
Castro revealed that the President was furious after learning from whistleblowers that lawmakers allegedly took kickbacks of up to 30 percent from government projects.
“The President is angry. That’s why he initiated this investigation—so that the public can see the extent of abuse involving not only ordinary citizens but also some public officials,” Castro said.
She emphasized that the driving force behind the corruption is simple: greed.
“We see no other reason. These public officials were simply too greedy, never satisfied,” she added.
A Call for Accountability
For the President, true justice means more than filing charges or putting officials behind bars. It means giving back to the Filipino people what was stolen from them—their money, their trust, and their chance at better infrastructure and services.
✨ The Bigger Picture: Marcos’ tough stance sends a powerful message—that corruption will not only be punished but undone, with stolen wealth returned to the people it rightfully belongs to.
