MANILA, Philippines — Another protest was held outside a construction company owned by the Discaya family on Friday to denounce alleged ghost projects and demand accountability from the contractor and their political backers.

Hundreds of protesters from the Youth Against Kurakot (YaK!), Akbayan Party, and allied groups gathered at the St. Gerrard Construction compound in Pasig City for the second straight day for the mass action they dubbed “Ghost Hunting in Pasig.”

Protesters carried placards and chants to “exorcise” corruption in the national budget, which they said has been drained by trillions worth of fraudulent flood control projects.

“All culprits must be unmasked,” said Khylla Meneses, Akbayan Youth secretary general and Youth Against Kurakot co-convenor. “There are so many ghost projects that continue to haunt us. We must identify and hold accountable the certified plunderers like the Discayas, who openly steal the youth’s future.”

Meneses added that billions stolen from fake projects could have built classrooms instead of lining the pockets of corrupt officials.

Akbayan president Rafaela David said the Discayas were only “the tip of the iceberg.”

“The Discaya alleged syndicate is just a symptom of a deeper network of corruption,” David said. “We must ask: who are their accomplices in government? Who profits while Filipinos suffer? All links must be exposed and punished to end this culture of plunder.”

David also urged authorities to freeze the group’s assets. “It is not enough to put them on a travel bulletin or revoke their accreditation,” she said. “Their assets must be frozen before they hide the stolen money. It must be returned to the people.”

Protesters storm Discaya compound for second straight day

The groups vowed to sustain their protests, warning that corruption should not be normalized. They also pushed for reforms, including passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, a mandatory Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN) disclosure law, and greater transparency in the budget process.

The mass action comes as the Discayas are considering filing charges against the protesters who stormed the same compound on Thursday, said their lawyer.

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