Clergy and religious along with lay Catholic faithful came out in droves at an anti-corruption rally in the Philippines capital of Manila Sept. 21 alongside tens of thousands of protesters.

This and other nationwide protests were spurred by a pledge from Philippine President Fredinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in July to expose and pursue prosecutions for dishonest projects in the typhoon- and monsoon-prone island nation’s flood control works. They were found to be rife with corruption.

Marcos is the son of the predominantly Catholic country’s former dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, whose amassed billions have been ascribed to questionable practices.

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The president urged the public to demonstrate peacefully and express outrage over being robbed by the government. Indignant over the nearly 10,000 seriously problematic — some nonexistent — flood-control projects worth $9.5 billion, he told reporters at a news conference Sept. 15 that if he were not president, he would march.

The Philippine bishops’ conference, Manila’s cardinal and other Church leaders also called on the faithful to attend the rally scheduled for Sept. 21, the 53rd anniversary of martial law instituted by Ferdinand Marcos.

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Most protesters were at the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, or EDSA shrine, a major intersection in the heart of Metro Manila, where a chapel and bronze monument were erected after millions gathered in 1986 in a Church- and military-led, non-bloody overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos.

Conference president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Caloocan rallied the crowds from a stage by the shrine.

“This staff is what we use as a hook to rescue little sheep that have fallen off the edge of a ravine,” said David. “We have many fellow citizens who have fallen into the ravine of corruption. They can still repent, and with this staff if they need the protection of the Church, we will open our churches up as sanctuaries to those brave enough to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.”

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The cardinal was onstage with several Catholic leaders, other Christian churchmen and a Muslim leader.

The conference’s and other prominent Catholics’ social media posts show crowds including seminarians and religious holding signs with slogans such as “Country first, suppress corruption” and “Thou shalt not steal - Exodus 20:15.”