A Philippine lawmaker charged with corruption in flood control projects

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A Philippine lawmaker and former House speaker has been charged with allegedly pocketing millions from flood control projects

MANILA, Philippines -- A Philippine lawmaker and former speaker of the House of Representatives was charged Monday for allegedly pocketing millions of dollars in kickbacks from flood control projects in a widening scandal concerning vital public construction to shield communities from typhoons.

Rep. Martin Romualdez, a cousin and former political ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and others are facing plunder charges at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

"The amount involved here is 7.4 billion pesos ($118 million), and this has been divided in various transactions where the money was used,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, whose office filed the charges, told a news conference.

Romualdez has earlier denied any wrongdoing.

Nearly 10,000 flood control projects worth more than 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) that were supposed to have been undertaken since Marcos took office in mid-2022 have come under scrutiny. Many were found to be substandard, overpriced or not built at all.

The Philippines is among the countries most exposed to destructive typhoons, some 20 of which lash the archipelago every year, causing considerable damage and casualties due to floods and landslides.

Romualdez, former Rep. Zaldy Co, who used to head the House appropriations committee and is now considered a fugitive after fleeing to Europe, are among several powerful legislators accused of pocketing huge kickbacks. An incumbent senator, a former senator and several ex-government engineers and public works officials as well as wealthy construction executives have been detained while facing trial on corruption charges.

Remulla said so much money was stolen that they tried to hide it by buying several houses, and even donating $1 million to Harvard University.

“This is the just the start,” he said, adding more cases will be filed against Romualdez and others, including plunder and money laundering charges.

Marcos has described the alleged scale of corruption as “horrible" and has established an independent commission to investigate. Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro on Monday quoted Marcos as saying earlier that he would not spare even relatives.