CSOs to Gov’t: Uphold Civic Spaces, Hold the Corrupt to Account

The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) condemns the escalating scare tactics, disinformation campaigns, and blatant red-tagging being deployed by Department of Interior and Local Governance (DILG), discredited DDS (Duterte Death Squad) generals, and political opportunists to undermine the Baha sa Luneta 2.0, and the Trillion Peso March at the EDSA Shrine. These coordinated attacks expose a regime terrified of public outrage, desperate to drown out the people’s collective demand for truth, accountability, and justice.

Instead of answering for the massive plunder of public funds—from pork barrel insertions to flood-control kickbacks—the Marcos-Duterte camps resort to vilifying protesters and fabricating narratives of violence to justify repression. The deployment of more than 15,000 police officers is a clear attempt to intimidate the public, a dangerous overkill that echoes the violence inflicted last 21 September 2025. These actions trample on the people’s right to peaceful assembly, expression, and participation in governance—rights that the government as duty bearer should vigorously uphold and defend.

We reject the hypocritical posturing of state security forces claiming to defend democracy while historically enabling martial law abuses, corruption, and the suppression of dissent. Their threats to investigate those calling for the resignation of corrupt officials further reveal their role as protectors of the powerful, not of the people.

CPDG calls on the public to stand firm, defend civic spaces, and protect human rights defenders who courageously expose corruption and resist authoritarianism. We invite communities, workers, youth, and all sectors to join the mass mobilization in Luneta and at the EDSA People Power Monument this 30 November 2025. Let us show that no amount of fearmongering can silence a people united in struggle.#

Lahat ng kurakot dapat managot.

Marcos at Duterte, panagutin.

Ipaglaban ang karapatan, depensahan ang demokrasya.

Makibaka para sa tunay na pagbabago.