The League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacañang Palace, where provincial governors expressed their support for the administration. (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office)
Marcos rejects calls to resign as arrest warrants, mass protests and expanding graft probes unsettle Philippine politics. Local leaders continue to back him while Congress examines the flood-control controversy.
As the Philippines confronts arrest warrants, widening anti-graft investigations and the largest street demonstrations of his presidency, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rejected calls for him to resign and directed authorities to continue pursuing what he describes as the most extensive corruption probe in years.
Malacañang said Marcos will “stay in office and face the allegations directly” through established investigative bodies.
Local officials rally behind Marcos as pressure intensifies
Support for Marcos among local leaders widened this week, with the League of Cities of the Philippines, the League of Municipalities and the League of Provinces all issuing statements backing the President. The three leagues represent the country’s full local-government spectrum: 149 city mayors, more than 1,400 municipal mayors and the 81 provincial governors. Together, they form the national bloc of local chief executives whose positions often reflect sentiment beyond Metro Manila.
Local officials acknowledged public anger over alleged irregularities in flood-control spending but called for an orderly investigation while essential services continue. Their statements followed mass anti-corruption protests in Metro Manila and provincial centers. The largest gathering was the Nov. 16 Iglesia Ni Cristo rally, which drew hundreds of thousands at Rizal Park. Youth, student and civic groups have also mounted actions in Quezon City and several regional cities.
Congress pushes inquiry, cautions against premature impeachment
In the House of Representatives, minority lawmakers reiterated that there is “no compelling reason yet” to initiate impeachment proceedings against Marcos. They noted that the Constitution requires a verified complaint supported by sworn evidence and that no such filing has been submitted.
Legislators across factions continue to press for a formal inquiry into allegations raised by former Ako Bicol representative Elizaldy Co, who once chaired the House appropriations committee. Co has claimed in interviews that “higher officials” influenced flood-control budget insertions, though he has not filed a sworn affidavit.
Lawmakers, including Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, have urged him to testify under oath and submit documents that can be evaluated in a congressional investigation.
Arrest warrants issued as graft probe widens
The most consequential development this week was the issuance of no-bail arrest warrants for 18 respondents in the Naujan, Oriental Mindoro flood-control case. The list includes former representative Co, several Department of Public Works and Highways engineers and executives of Sunwest Corp., the contractor involved in the ₱289-million project. Authorities said Co is believed to have left the country before the warrants were issued, and police are preparing to arrest the remaining respondents.
These cases form part of a broader probe stemming from an audit disclosed by Marcos in August, which flagged irregularities in more than 9,800 flood-control projects worth about ₱545 billion implemented since 2022. The Independent Commission on Infrastructure, created under Executive Order 94, continues to investigate patterns of alleged misconduct. Billions of pesos in assets have been frozen, and additional complaints involving other contractors, including the Discaya couple, are being prepared.
On Nov. 21, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said his office may be able to file a case against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez within six to nine months, emphasizing that the process must be evidence-based. Remulla disclosed that Romualdez personally called him to deny involvement. He added that it remains premature to determine whether the investigation could reach Marcos. As of Nov. 22, no publicly filed complaint names the President as a respondent.
Debates intensify over sedition and foreign funding
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the Department of the Interior and Local Government is reviewing speeches at recent rallies to determine whether any statements approached “inciting to sedition.” Human-rights lawyers countered that calls for a president to resign are protected political speech unless they explicitly encourage unlawful actions.
The Palace also escalated its warnings about alleged foreign-funded protest activity, saying any such effort, if proven, would be “a betrayal of the Philippines” and “tantamount to treason.” The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police said they are examining reports that certain rallies, including those led by the United Peoples Initiative at the People Power Monument, may have been influenced by foreign actors. No public evidence has been presented.
Marcos stands firm as institutions face a critical test
Marcos has said he intends to “let the investigations run their course” while continuing the administration’s economic and infrastructure programs. Support from mayors and governors, combined with the absence of any verified impeachment complaint, suggests he retains key institutional backing.
How long that support holds will depend on the progress of investigations moving through the Ombudsman, Congress and the Sandiganbayan. With arrests pending, scrutiny deepening and protests expanding, the Philippines faces one of its most consequential tests of political and institutional resilience in years.
