Philippine President’s Cousin Charged Over Flood-Control Scandal

A Philippine lawmaker and cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been charged in a corruption scandal over flood-control projects that allegedly existed only on paper.

Prosecutors filed the criminal case on Sept. 7 against Martin Romualdez, more than a year after Marcos put the so-called ghost infrastructure projects at the center of a public address. The projects are believed to have cost Filipino taxpayers billions of dollars. Construction company owners, government officials and politicians have been accused of taking money from them.

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We don’t pick and choose. There is no name here that we’re trying to avoid. Everything here is based on evidence.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the plunder case against Romualdez involved 7.4 billion pesos, or about $150 million, in alleged bribes, questionable budget insertions and irregular project allocations. Romualdez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

“We don’t pick and choose. There is no name here that we’re trying to avoid. Everything here is based on evidence,” Remulla told reporters. “This case proves that there are no sacred cows.” He said prosecutors intended to bring additional cases against Romualdez and others implicated in the scandal.

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This case proves that there are no sacred cows.

The other respondents include former lawmaker Elizaldy Co and several people accused of conspiring to accumulate wealth unlawfully through government funds. Romualdez resigned as speaker of the House of Representatives in September 2025 after his name emerged in the widening investigation. He said his departure would let investigators work without “undue influence”, but he remains a member of the House.

Over the past year, prosecutors have filed cases against sitting and former lawmakers, public works officials and construction company representatives allegedly connected to the scheme.

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undue influence