Philippine President Confirms Arrest of 7 in Major Corruption Scandal
MANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Monday the arrest of seven individuals connected to a widespread corruption scandal involving flood control projects, marking a significant step in his administration’s campaign against graft. The inquiry has implicated influential lawmakers and business figures, sparking public outrage in a country long plagued by systemic corruption.
The scandal centers on substandard, incomplete, or entirely fictitious flood control infrastructure—a critical issue for the disaster-prone nation where severe weather and flooding regularly endanger communities. Two previous Philippine presidents, including the incumbent’s late father, were removed from office following public uprisings fueled by corruption allegations.
Among those indicted by the Sandiganbayan, a special anti-corruption court, is former Congressman Zaldy Co, along with several public works engineers. They face charges linked to a 289 million peso ($4.8 million) river dike project in Oriental Mindoro province, which was awarded to Sunwest Corp., a construction firm reportedly owned by Co’s family.
President Marcos confirmed that one suspect was taken into custody while six others voluntarily surrendered over the weekend. Authorities made additional arrests at a Quezon City residence where individuals were allegedly aiding a suspect evade capture.
“My advice to the remaining suspects is for all of you to surrender—do not wait to be pursued,” Marcos stated in a social media post. “This will continue. We will not stop.”
The investigation, which includes testimony from current and former officials, has revealed how certain legislators and engineers orchestrated kickback schemes with favored contractors. Witnesses have described how lawmakers received substantial bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative public works contracts.
Revelations of extravagant lifestyles among the accused—including luxury properties, high-end vehicles, and private jets—have fueled public anger. A major protest supported by the Catholic Church is scheduled for November 30.
Notable figures implicated include Representative Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin and a former House Speaker, who has denied involvement but resigned from his leadership role. Former Senate President Chiz Escudero has also been accused of receiving kickbacks. Both maintain their innocence.
The Marcos administration has emphasized its commitment to transparency, noting that the president first raised concerns about the irregularities during his July State of the Nation address. Currently, 9,855 flood control projects valued at over 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) are under scrutiny.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto disclosed in September that up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) allocated for flood control may have been lost to corruption since 2023. Officials indicate that investigations will extend to projects initiated under former President Rodrigo Duterte, suggesting the corruption network predates the current administration.
As the anti-corruption drive intensifies, the public watches closely—hoping these efforts will bring lasting accountability to a system long burdened by graft.
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