PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured Thursday, November 13, 2025, that those charged with irregularities in flood control projects will be jailed before Christmas this year.
(Before Christmas, many of those named here will have their cases resolved. They will be sent to jail. They won’t have a merry Christmas — before Christmas, they’ll be imprisoned.)
Marcos said the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) transmitted its first batch of case referrals to the Ombudsman in September. The cases implicated at least 37 individuals, including lawmakers, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, and contractors.
Among the names mentioned by Marcos Thursday were former DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara, former DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, and contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya.
Cases filed include criminal charges such as graft and corruption, malversation of public funds, falsification, and plunder, as well as administrative charges for violations of the Code of Conduct for public officials.
Marcos stressed that the government will not file cases that will end up being junked by the courts.
“Di natin gusto na makalusot sila sa kaso dahil sa legal technicality. Tinitiyak naming na pagka kami ay sumampa ng kaso, yung kaso nay yan ay hanggang sa dulo ay matibay at sila naman ay mananagot at kung huhusgahan sila ng korte ay makukulong sila,” said the President.
(We don’t want them to get away with their cases because of a legal technicality. We make sure that when we file a case, it will stand strong until the end, and that they will be held accountable — and if the court finds them guilty, they will be imprisoned.)
“Bawat kasong isasampa ay may sapat na ibedensya at hindi hahantong sa pagkabasura ng kaso. Papanagutin natin lahat ng may kasalanan,” he added.
(Every case to be filed will have sufficient evidence and will not end up being dismissed. We will hold all those who are guilty accountable.)
He said the government is focusing on three things: jailing those involved in government corruption, recovering money stolen from the people, and implementing reforms to ensure that anomalous government projects and corruption do not happen again.
Asked if his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, is among those who will be charged, Marcos said there is still no concrete evidence linking Romualdez to the alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
“The only evidence that’s been made against him is in the Senate. So with the Speaker, not as yet. But if something else comes out, then he will have to be answerable for it,” Marcos said.
No case has also been filed yet against former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co, one of the alleged masterminds behind the insertions in the 2025 national budget.
“Hindi pa nasampahan ng kaso si Zaldy Co, therefore the cancellation of his passport cannot be made. But when the time comes, we will immediately cancel his passport. You have to give grounds for the cancellation of the passport, and those will be based on the cases will be filed against him,” said Marcos.
Co is reportedly outside the country and has expressed apprehension about returning to the Philippines due to threats against his life and those of his family.
Marcos reiterated Thursday, November 13, that the government does not file cases for publicity or appearances.
He called on the public to continue reporting anomalous government projects through the Sumbong sa Pangulo portal, stressing that the information they receive from the website is what helps in the investigation.
“Napakahalaga ng impormasyon, so ipagpatuloy po ninyo kung meron kayong makita na dapat imbestigahan (Information is very important, so please continue to report anything you see that should be investigated),” said the President. (LRM)