Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray publicly called on the Philippine Senate to suspend members allegedly involved in a major corruption scandal concerning flood control projects.
Gray made the strong statement in a speech delivered before thousands of attendees at the “Trillion Peso March,” a massive anti-corruption protest held along White Plains Avenue.
“We demand action,” Gray stated to the crowd. Her specific demands included: “To the senators, suspend the senators implicated, and to the congress, pass the anti-political dynasty bill.” She also urged the Ombudsman to “file the cases now.”
The former beauty queen emphasized the public’s resolve for accountability. “They said that Filipinos have a short memory, that it’s easy for us to forgive and forget, but believe us when we say that we will not forget what you did, and no one will move on unless no one gets accountable,” she said, adding, “We are the generation that will not let corruption win.”
The Trillion Peso March protested widespread corruption, specifically focusing on allegations of lawmakers receiving kickbacks from infrastructure projects.
The message of accountability was echoed by other protesters, some of whom created an installation depicting Senators Chiz Escudero, Joel Villanueva, and Jinggoy Estrada behind bars. All three senators have vehemently denied the accusations linking them to the infrastructure controversy.