IN black mourning clothes, members of the clergy, lawyers, and civic-church groups stood silently along the busy corner of Don Apolinar Velez Street on Oct. 31, the eve of All Souls’ Day. But instead of lighting candles for the dead, they mourned for the souls of corrupt public officials.
Despite the gloomy weather and the hum of traffic, their voices cut through the noise. “Ikulong na ’yan, mga kurakot!” they cried — a demand for accountability that echoed down the city streets.
The protest marked the first in a series of ‘Black Friday’ demonstrations launched by the Promotion of Church People’s Response–Northern Mindanao Region (PCPR-NMR), a faith-based organization known for its human rights and social justice advocacy.
The weekly protests are set to continue throughout November, aimed at pressuring authorities to act on reports of ghost flood-control projects and other alleged irregularities that have recently drawn public outrage across Northern Mindanao.
Lawyer Beverly Selim-Musni, secretary general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers, addressed the crowd, saying, “Atong sabton na kaning mga anomalya karong panahona, sistematiko nga panghitabo, sistimatiko na korupsyon.”
Reverend Father Rolando Abejo, chairperson of PCPR-NMR, urged the faithful to rise above apathy.
“Ang simbahan gihagit sa iyang dakong bulohaton aron sa pagpadayag sa iyang moral nga obligasyon kay mailap kaayo ang korupsyon,” he said, calling on the faithful to defend the people’s welfare.
He added: “Taliwala na nagkamingaw na ang imbestigasyon,” lamenting how the investigation into the questionable flood-control projects appears to have gone quiet.
After the speeches, participants lit candles — not for departed loved ones, but for what they called the “dead conscience” of corrupt officials.
A few onlookers filmed the scene; passing motorists honked softly in support.
The Black Friday protests form part of a growing wave of anti-corruption actions across Mindanao, as church and civic groups rally for transparency and moral governance.
