Akbayan on flood control mess probe: ‘Puro dilis at sapsap lang ang nahuhuli’ 

Several lawmakers have joined the massive anti-corruption protest on Sunday, seeking accountability in the anomalous flood control projects. 

According to Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras Weekend,” Akbayan Party-list representatives Chel Diokno and Perci Cendaña as well as Senator Bam Aquino wore white as they joined in solidarity with various groups in EDSA People Power Monument. 

Cendaña lamented that the “big fish” in the scandal have yet to be made accountable. 

“Sa ngayon kasi naiinip na tayo puro mga dilis at sapsap lang ang nahuhuli, wala pa yung mga balyena   at mga pating na malaki at bilyon-bilyon ang ninakaw sa kaban,” the lawmaker said. 

(Right now, we are getting impatient because only the anchovies and ponyfish are being caught; the whales and sharks who stole billions from the treasury are still out there.) 

For his part, Aquino said that it’s important that the stolen money be taken back. 

“Mahalaga makuha yung pera. Klaro yan sa taong bayan na hindi sapat yung may makulong, ayun pa lang nga wala pa eh. So may makulong, maibalik yung pera, at mabago yung sistema,” he said. 

(It is important to recover the money. It's clear to the people that merely having someone jailed is not enough—and we don't even have that yet. So, those who are guilty should be jailed, the money should be returned, and the system should be changed.) 

Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez earlier said that the Marcos administration will pursue the "big fish" in the flood control mess.

During the program, protesters showed the scale of the impact of the anomalous flood control projects. Participants also released a unity message. 

The protest at EDSA was also joined by various personalities including celebrities. There were performances by OPM band Ben&Ben, Mitch Valdez, and Celeste Legaspi. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News