When Anti-Corruption Promises Fade: Philippines Grapples with Accountability Gap

The Philippine government’s struggle to arrest high-level figures connected to the flood control scandal has exposed more than missed deadlines—it reveals a widening gap between public expectations and institutional capacity. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. promised decisive action by Christmas, yet weeks later, only mid-level officials and contractors remain detained while senior beneficiaries of alleged misconduct remain untouched.

The Pattern Nobody Wants to See

As of December, 87 individuals have faced criminal and administrative charges, with 23 formally charged in court. Contractor Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya sits in Lapu-Lapu City Jail in Cebu after warrant service by the National Bureau of Investigation. Three former Department of Public Works and Highways engineers remain under Senate custody. Yet Elizaldy S. Co, former Party-list Representative and former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, remains a fugitive abroad, his passport canceled as he faces multiple plunder charges involving approximately P5 billion in alleged kickbacks.

The disparity tells a story. University of Makati political science professor Ederson DT. Tapia observed that “what unsettles people is not that arrests didn’t happen. It’s that they happened in a very familiar way.” Investigations appear to gain traction before stalling at higher levels—a pattern the public recognizes and resents.

Beyond Numbers: Trust Erodes Quietly

The consequences hit harder in flood control cases than abstract financial scandals. “When funds are misused, communities don’t just lose money on paper. They lose homes, safety, dignity,” Tapia explained. Inaction against those orchestrating such schemes registers not as procedural delay but as selective enforcement.

The numbers reflect this erosion. President Marcos’ net trust rating slipped to -3 from +7 between October and December, according to Social Weather Stations data. Negative trust outnumbers positive trust for the first time in his term. Hansley A. Juliano, political science lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University, warned that “this stagnation will not lead to anything new unless heads roll, literally or figuratively.”

Systemic Roots, Not Individual Failings

Large-scale corruption rarely operates through isolated actors. Mr. Tapia pointed to elite networks and political patronage as structural enablers—relationships that weaponize delay, complexity, and procedural distance. As cases drag on, lower-ranking figures absorb consequences while senior architects remain insulated.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure, tasked with investigation, has itself become controversial. Resignations and questions over transparency and independence have undermined the very institution meant to restore confidence.

Carl Marc L. Ramota, professor at the University of the Philippines Manila’s Department of Social Sciences, highlighted an institutional reality: “While we welcome the indictment of several DPWH officials and contractors, the fact remains that no high-ranking public official has been arrested due to corruption charges.” Prolonged delays risk losing evidence, witnesses, and further eroding institutional credibility.

The Broader Calculus

Juliano noted that rival political camps, particularly allies of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, are consolidating support ahead of 2028 elections. A weakened administration cedes momentum through unresolved scandals and entrenched patronage patterns.

Yet Antonio A. Ligon, law and business professor at De La Salle University, urged restraint. The justice system’s emphasis on due process, seasonal administrative factors, and resource constraints at the Ombudsman’s office all slow proceedings. A coordinated, whole-of-government approach remains absent.

The question now is whether institutional reform can accelerate accountability before public trust thins beyond recovery. The weather of political will matters far less than structural change—and that remains largely unaddressed.