Philippine court orders arrest of president’s cousin over alleged $118 million kickbacks

A Philippine anti-graft court has ordered the arrest of former House speaker Martin Romualdez, the cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., over allegations that he collected about $118 million in kickbacks from government flood-control projects.

The Office of the Ombudsman accused Romualdez of amassing 7.4 billion pesos, equivalent to $118.21 million, through commissions, commitment fees, bribes and other illicit payments. The alleged payments were linked to flood-control projects awarded between 2022 and 2025.

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I am not the president of my family

Romualdez, who served as House speaker from 2022 to 2025 and was a key Marcos ally, has denied wrongdoing. His lawyer, Ade Fajardo, said Romualdez would face the allegations in court and asked for no special treatment, only “the same due process and fair hearing guaranteed to every Filipino”.

The arrest order comes two months after Marcos vowed in his State of the Nation Address to intensify his anti-corruption campaign. “I am not the president of my family” and “not the president of my friends,” Marcos said at the time.

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not the president of my friends

The case has drawn heightened attention as large parts of the disaster-prone country face monsoon rains. Alleged irregularities in flood-control projects have stirred widespread anger online and embarrassed the Marcos administration. Marcos said last year that 545 billion pesos, or $8.71 billion, in flood-control spending from 2022 to 2025 had been riddled with alleged irregularities and promised a comprehensive investigation.

His executive secretary and the budget and public works ministers are among dozens of officials who resigned or were dismissed. Two senators, a former senator and at least eight public works officials have been detained in the scandal.

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the same due process and fair hearing guaranteed to every Filipino

“We are not singling out anyone. Everything is based on evidence,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told reporters. “This case proves that we do not take sides with anyone. We simply want those who are responsible to be held accountable.” Under Philippine law, plunder is generally a non-bailable offence.

Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, called the move “a step in the right direction” and said it would challenge perceptions that the Marcos administration had selectively pursued corruption cases.

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We are not singling out anyone. Everything is based on evidence. This case proves that we do not take sides with anyone. We simply want those who are responsible to be held accountable.