The Philippine Ombudsman has officially initiated plunder proceedings against Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the former Speaker of the House. Accused alongside former Appropriations Committee chair Elizaldy Co, who is currently evading authorities in Europe, Romualdez is at the center of a massive scandal involving the alleged embezzlement of multi-billion-peso flood control funds. While the case has been lodged with the Sandiganbayan’s 3rd Division, an arrest warrant has not yet been issued, leaving the nation watching closely as a non-bailable, high-stakes corruption trial begins to unfold.

The allegations suggest that between 2022 and 2025, Romualdez and Co orchestrated a sophisticated scheme to divert public infrastructure budgets into their own accounts, aided by rigged contracts within the Department of Public Works and Highways. Despite these serious claims and testimonies from whistleblowers—some of whom have since retracted their statements—Romualdez continues to deny any wrongdoing, calling for fairness from the Ombudsman. This legal action marks a historic moment in Philippine politics, as it is the first time a member of the powerful Romualdez clan has faced such severe criminal charges under a Marcos administration, potentially signaling a significant shift in the country's entrenched political dynamics.