MANILA, July 27 (Reuters) – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday he was “not the president of my family” and “not the president of my friends” as he vowed to press ahead with an anti-corruption drive that could see multiple charges filed against his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Last year, Marcos disclosed allegations of widespread irregularities in a series of flood-control projects worth billions of pesos. The case involved accusations of kickbacks to officials and several politicians, and implicated Romualdez, who was forced to step down as speaker.
But accountability questions have lingered, adding to public discontent at a time when many Filipinos are grappling with the soaring cost of living and inflation, which has exceeded the government’s target.
“This pains me, but we have to do what is right,” Marcos said in his penultimate address to Congress before stepping down as president in 2028.
Marcos faces a fraught political and economic situation as he grapples with the fallout from the collapse of his alliance with Vice President Sara Duterte, who is facing an impeachment trial, as well as mounting public discontent.
“I am not the president of my family. I am not the president of my friends. I am the president of the Philippines, and my duty is to the Filipino people,” he said.
Romualdez said in a statement that he has done nothing wrong and that he was prepared to face any charges.
Pulse Asia polling has already reflected the erosion in public confidence in the government, with Marcos’ trust rating falling to 28% and 51% of respondents expressing distrust.
Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, said Marcos’ remarks were politically significant because they suggested he was willing to pursue accountability even if it affected members of his own family.
But she added that the administration would ultimately be judged on whether cases were actually filed and pursued.
“Rhetoric is fine, but actions are better,” she said.
Outside Congress, hundreds of protesters carried placards and banners demanding not only accountability for corruption, but also lower consumer prices and higher wages.
Marcos’ single six-year term ends in 2028, but his succession plans remain unclear. Despite the ongoing impeachment trial, Duterte remains the leading choice in early surveys for the 2028 presidential election.
To help ease the impact of rising consumer prices, Marcos asked Congress to approve tax relief measures, including broader income tax exemptions for workers, as well as the removal of the minimum corporate income tax for small businesses.
Without mentioning China by name, Marcos also alluded to ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, declaring that Filipinos “do not yield” and citing the 10th anniversary of a 2016 international arbitration ruling that found China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis, handing Manila a landmark legal victory.
China rejects the ruling and continues to assert its claims in the strategic waterway.
“This is not a claim that we advance alone, nor one that we will abandon,” Marcos said.
(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by David Stanway)
