The Trillion Peso March organizers and the so-called civil socialites who led Sunday’s protest are grappling with a messaging problem, as ordinary Filipinos remain unsure about what they truly stand for.

While the rally continues to insist that its goal is not to force the resignation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., its leaders repeatedly portray Marcos as the central figure behind the perversion of the budget under his watch. This contradiction only deepens the public’s confusion.

The leading figures at the rally stressed that they did not stop the calls for the resignation of Marcos or Vice President Sara Duterte, and that the only demands prohibited were those outside the Constitution or those calling for the military to intervene.

The podium was also reserved for like-minded liberal opportunists and meticulously picked legislators and bishops who do not deviate from their views. In short, it was a very elitist assembly.

Now, they are talking about organizing several more such marches.

“As long as the issue remains unresolved, we will continue to organize protests to remind the government that we, as citizens, are very serious about the problem.”

The main reason for the rally was supposedly to demand transparency and the return of the stolen resources.

The blurry purpose, however, has more to do with avoiding the constitutional line of succession since it will be Vice President Duterte who will succeed Marcos if he steps down.

The anti-elitist character of the Dutertes is also a bane for the status quo. The move of former President Rodrigo Duterte to make changes to keep big business in line was not lost on the ruling class.

Another Duterte is hard to countenance for those seeking to regain political influence, if not relevance.

What was lost, however, was the bigger purpose of removing the roots of corruption in government and the private sector. Oligarchs have a lot at stake in the outcome of the efforts to end the corruption crisis.

The return of a Duterte, either through Marcos stepping down or a victory in the next presidential elections, should not and must not happen and the efforts thus turn to the complicated impeachment of Sara before Marcos steps down.

The idea becomes convoluted and hard to explain to the uninitiated about the rivalry that envelops local politics. How do you root out the problem if only its exposed portions are removed?

A third edition of the protest rally is planned, which will have the same objectives as the first two, which remains a puzzle including to the participants.

“As long as the issue remains unresolved, we will continue to organize protests to remind the government that we as citizens are very serious about the issue,” according to an organizer.

“If the government doesn’t really prosecute the big fish or is perceived to be protecting an individual or individuals, the protests will continue.”

One of the protest leaders went to the extent of saying, “If you say a Marcos is going after corruption, that’s something that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around.”

Nonetheless, the call is for Marcos not to resign while VP Duterte should be impeached, which is a combination that does not jibe with the pursuit of transparency and integrity.

The biggest challenge for the so-called anti-corruption movement is the divided effort of those ranged against Marcos.

The campaign to eliminate corruption in government, the very demand that an enraged public wants addressed, has been tainted by politics and is in limbo.

What is unfolding instead is a clash between two opportunistic forces, with one side maneuvering to seize power without going through the proper constitutional process.