Major Corruption Crackdown in Philippines Flood Control Projects
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced on Monday that authorities have detained seven suspects and are hunting for several more in a massive corruption scandal involving flood control projects that has sparked public outrage across the nation.
The corruption scandal implicates powerful members of Congress and involves substandard or completely non-existent flood control infrastructure in a country that frequently experiences deadly floods and extreme weather conditions.
Initial Arrests and Charges Filed
The Sandiganbayan, a special anti-corruption court, has indicted the first batch of more than a dozen suspects. Among those charged is Zaldy Co, a former member of the House of Representatives, along with government public works engineers.
This marks the beginning of what officials expect to be dozens of criminal graft and corruption lawsuits. President Marcos has promised that implicated senators, House members, and wealthy construction company owners will be locked up by Christmas.
The initial case focuses on irregularities in flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro province, including a river dike valued at 289 million pesos ($4.8 million). These projects were undertaken by Sunwest Corp., a construction firm allegedly owned by Co's family.
According to President Marcos, one suspect was arrested while six others surrendered to police over the weekend. The arrested individual was found in a house in suburban Quezon city within the capital region, where an unspecified number of people attempting to hide the suspect were also taken into custody.
International Manhunt and Presidential Warning
In an early Monday post on his Facebook account, President Marcos issued a stern warning to remaining suspects: "My advice to the remaining suspects is for all of you to surrender, don't wait to be pursued. This will continue, we will not stop."
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed that Co's location is currently unknown, though he is believed to be outside the Philippines. Three other suspects may soon surrender to Philippine embassies in the United States, New Zealand, and Jordan before being flown back home.
"No matter where you are in the world, we will find you," Remulla declared during a news conference where mug shots of the arrested suspects wearing orange detainee shirts were displayed.
Widespread Corruption Network Uncovered
Witnesses have testified in Senate hearings and an independent fact-finding commission established by Marcos that several former and current senators and House members have pocketed substantial kickbacks from favored construction companies.
These companies had secured lucrative flood control contracts for years through corrupt practices. Multiple officials and engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways have testified under oath about their role in arranging corrupt deals and receiving large sums of money for their cooperation.
The scandal has exposed the lavish lifestyles of the main suspects, including mansions, suitcases of cash, fleets of luxury cars, and private jets, sparking massive public protests. An upcoming demonstration scheduled for November 30 has gained support from the dominant Roman Catholic church.
High-Profile Figures Implicated
Among those implicated is Rep. Martin Romualdez, the president's cousin and key ally, who has denied any involvement but has stepped down as House of Representatives speaker. Former Senate President Chiz Escudero has also been accused of pocketing kickbacks and has resigned from his post while strongly denying any wrongdoing.
Presidential aides have defended Marcos from allegations connecting him to the irregularities, noting that he first raised alarm about them in July during his annual state of the nation address before Congress.
Massive Scale of Investigation
The investigation currently encompasses at least 9,855 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.
In September, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto informed legislators that up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) allocated for flood control projects may have been lost to corruption since 2023.
Officials stated that the anomalies may have begun under Marcos's predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, and that flood control projects undertaken during his administration will also be thoroughly investigated.
This corruption scandal represents one of the most significant challenges for the Marcos administration, particularly given the country's history where two Philippine presidents, including Marcos' late father, were overthrown in peaceful public revolts due to alleged plunder and misrule.
