A giant cake shaped like a crocodile served as the centrepiece of an anti-corruption protest in the Philippines.

Footage shows the hyper-realistic dessert designed to resemble a saltwater croc during a gathering in Davao del Sur on 21 September.

The lifelike details of the 8ft confection from its scales to its teeth drew astonished reactions from the crowd.

The event held in the southern part of the archipelago was part of a nationwide protest amid allegations that politicians had received kickbacks from major government projects.

Onlooker Francis Banudan said: 'The cake was made by Cafe Gervacios. They did a great job, it really looked like a croc.'

In the Philippines, crocodiles have long been associated with corrupt politicians accused of exploiting government funds for personal gain.

Similar protests erupted across the country as outrage mounted over anomalous flood control projects in the perennially storm-battered nation.

They followed revelations by construction contractor Sarah Discaya, who told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that she owns 28 luxury vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Maybach, Bentley, and Mercedes G63.

She denied involvement in so-called 'ghost projects' and said she began securing contracts from the DPWH in 2012. She also revealed she owns nine construction firms.

Local media reported that more than 6,000 flood control projects worth 350 billion PHP (approximately 4.9 billion GBP) lacked essential details, raising concerns over transparency in government infrastructure spending.

At least 15 contractors are now under investigation after cornering a combined 545 billion PHP (approximately 7.63 billion GBP) program budget.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr - himself the son of a dictator who stole some 10 billion USD from the country - has since ordered a probe into the anomalous projects, as well as lifestyle checks on government officials.

Even the mother of the current President, Imelda Marcos, is best known for her sprawling collection of designer shoes that were amassed while her husband was in power.