Former Philippine House speaker arrested for alleged kickbacks

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine lawmaker and former speaker of the House of Representatives was arrested on Monday for allegedly pocketing millions of dollars in kickbacks from flood control projects, many of which were never constructed in a country that is facing destructive typhoons.

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

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, whose office filed the charges, told a news conference that the case involves 7.4 billion pesos ($118 million) "divided in various transactions where the money was used.”

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 powerful typhoons, some 20 of which lash the archipelago every year, causing considerable damage and casualties due to floods and landslides.

Romualdez has earlier denied any wrongdoing.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who accompanied the national police chief in serving the warrant to Romualdez, said he was admitted to a Manila hospital Monday afternoon due to unstable blood pressure and anxiety attack. He said he will be moved to a jail as soon as doctors determine that he can be released from the hospital.

“We assure you he cannot hide behind his wealth. No matter how wealthy he is, he cannot pay the law for him to be allowed to sleep here in a nice place,” Remulla said.

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.

Ombudsman 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. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro on Monday quoted Marcos as saying earlier that he would not spare even relatives.