Amid growing public unrest over alleged corruption in government flood control projects, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), delivered a powerful message urging Filipinos to seek reform through accountability and the rule of law, not through coups or snap elections.

Speaking during a Mass at the Birhen ng Fatima Mission Station in Caloocan City on October 8, Cardinal David rejected calls for drastic political change, including rumors of a coup and proposals for a revolutionary government. “Not through a coup, not through revolutionary government, not through military rule, not through snap elections,” he said. “Let the rule of law work. What we need is not a new election term—but long prison terms for the plunderers.”

The cardinal emphasized that while government may falter, it should not be discarded. Using a vivid metaphor, he said, “If a child gets dirty, we bathe the child—but we throw away the dirty water, not the child.” He called on citizens to repair and guard democratic institutions, rather than abandon them.

His remarks come as street protests erupt across several cities, fueled by frustration over alleged misuse of public funds. Cardinal David urged the faithful not to lose hope, but to turn national frustration into an opportunity for moral renewal and civic responsibility.

“Even if all the corrupt officials were to die, they would just be replaced by others like them,” he warned. “We are all part of the problem; therefore, we must all be part of the solution. We must help dismantle this culture of corruption.”

The cardinal’s message underscores the Church’s call for justice, truth, and collective accountability as the foundation for lasting reform in the Philippines.

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