Manila: The Office of the Ombudsman has announced that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and his co-respondents are required to respond to charges related to alleged anomalous flood control projects amounting to billions of pesos.

According to Philippines News Agency, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano confirmed that a preliminary investigation team has issued an order for Romualdez and the other respondents to file a counter-affidavit. The respondents have been given a 15-day deadline upon receipt of the order to submit their responses.

Clavano further stated that once all submissions are received, the case will proceed to resolution. The charges, which include plunder, direct and indirect bribery, graft, and money laundering, were initially filed by a special panel of investigators on July 20, targeting Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, and others.

The respondents are accused of accumulating approximately PHP56 billion in ill-gotten wealth from 2022 to 2025 by diverting and misusing public funds from questionable government projects. In a recent State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. mentioned that several cases against Romualdez, who is his cousin, are close to being filed before the Office of the Ombudsman as part of the ongoing investigation into the flood control scandal.

Marcos emphasized that the investigation has been thorough, following evidence impartially, resulting in the filing of cases and arrests of contractors, senior officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways, and lawmakers. He also highlighted the government's efforts to recover public funds and halt payments for defective, fictitious, or non-existent projects.