by Diego Morra
The White Ribbon march on June 28, 2026 aims to highlight the curse of corruption and it cannot, by any means, coddle the principal defenders of graft and embezzlement who want to hijack the protest and use it to demand freedom for the incarcerated ex-president Rodrigo Duterte or scuttle the looming trial of Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio before the Senate impeachment court.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), part of the White Ribbon coalition, said in no uncertain terms that the rabid supporters of the Duterte father-and-daughter tandem are not welcome to the anti-corruption march. Last week, major religious organizations and civil society groups said the protest will be held at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City to press for the prosecution and conviction of grafters. Their rally cry is: “Lahat ng sangkot, dapat managot! On this basis alone, pro-Duterte personalities and groups are excluded. Oil and water do not mix.
Kidapawan Bishop Colin Bagaforo of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue stressed that while politicians may support the protest, they will not be allowed to speak in the action dubbed as non-partisan. “We cannot link arms with those who consistently resort to disinformation not just to protect the corrupt but also to malign and undermine the efforts of anti-corruption advocates,” Bayan argued. Sanlakas said “our march is non-partisan and clearly against dynasties and corruption. Hence, citizens who stand against dynasties and corruption and for electoral reform and good governance are welcome, but not those affiliated with dynasties.” it added.
Rally organizers noted that in the past, pro-Duterte gangs tried to insert themselves into the protests against only to be hooted out of the rallies. In several mass actions in Manila, pro-Duterte zealots also mobilized hooligans who clashed with police, burned motorcycles and barged into several establishments in a vain attempt to toss the blame to youth activists. At the Senate, the same Duterte groups calling for the resignation or overthrow of the Marcos Jr. administration have been staging round-the-clock pickets and failing to mobilize people to embrace their cause. Despite their hortatory speeches and the parading of coffins, these people have failed to gain support.
Bayan said that although it was ready to work with all who seek accountability over corruption, they “will not be distracted” by those who seek to use the event for their own agendas. “The rabid pro-Duterte personalities who expressed their intent to join the march are advised to respect the integrity of the space we are building in our struggle for truth, accountability, and justice. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE,” the statement read. Bayan warned White Ribbon march participants to denounce individuals who “wish to hijack” the march as a “platform to whitewash the crimes of notorious plunderers and political clans.” It concluded: “We cannot link arms with those who consistently resort to disinformation not just to protect the corrupt but also to malign and undermine the efforts of anti-corruption advocates.”
Systemic corruption has worsened poverty and hunger nationwide since up to 40% of the annual national budget is frittered away by lawmakers, with the graft-ridden flood control projects as the prime example. The articles of impeachment against Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio are a prime example of how confidential funds are misused and pocketed and how, as a former truant education secretary, she did nothing to improve literacy, numeracy and comprehension among pupils. Needless to say, Sara mismanaged DepEd, lagged behind in her classroom building projects and parked billions of pesos of unused cash in regional offices. Under her management by indolence, DepEd gave its executives payoffs to secure contracts for favored parties.
The Filipino people have everything to lose if the Duterte partisans succeed in sabotaging Sara’s impeachment trial. It would be a national shame if the Senate would allow the pettifoggery of Sara’s defense to continue. Imagine “retorting” to the position of the House prosecution panel that the entire process was “unfair” and “void” despite her lawyers being given wide latitude to make a mockery of themselves by denying everything, and insisting that their St. Sara did nothing wrong by insulting the House justice panel and having the temerity to claim that her management of the confidential funds cannot be questioned.
Sara doesn’t need lawyers. What she needs is a shrink who can explain to her that she has no entitlement to anything, that her god did not train her to become president, and that riding bicycles and organizing car pools do not worsen the oil crisis. Moreover, it wasn’t Andres Bonifacio who said “ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay daig pa ang hayop at malansang isda.” Surely, it is not merely cognitive dissonance that affects Sara’s thinking. Her cognitive structures are in shambles and she is engaged in a war with logic and common sense. Her magnificent god cannot save her from ruin despite its illusory plans A, B, C and D. #