Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared that 18 individuals implicated in a widespread corruption scandal involving flood control projects will face arrest. The scandal, which has triggered massive public protests and forced several congressional leaders to resign, centers on substandard and fraudulent infrastructure projects in a nation frequently battered by deadly typhoons and flooding. Marcos emphasized that these arrests mark only the beginning of a broader crackdown on corruption. The Sandiganbayan, a specialized anti-corruption court, issued arrest warrants for former lawmaker Zaldy Co, who has fled the country, and 17 others, including government engineers and executives from Sunwest Corp., a construction firm. The irregularities pertain to a 289 million peso ($4.8 million) flood control project in Oriental Mindoro province. Government prosecutors have recommended denying bail due to the severity of the case. Marcos vowed in a video message that all suspects would face the law without special treatment. The scandal has implicated at least 37 powerful figures, including senators, members of Congress, and construction executives, with many expected to be jailed by Christmas. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed that at least five former and current senators are under investigation for allegedly receiving kickbacks. Among those implicated are lawmakers both allied with and opposed to Marcos, including his cousin, Rep. Martin Romualdez, who stepped down as House Speaker. The investigation also extends to Sen. Bong Go, a key ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who has denied wrongdoing. The scandal has further strained relations between Marcos and the Duterte family, with Vice President Sara Duterte calling for Marcos’s accountability. Since taking office in mid-2022, Marcos has raised concerns about corruption, with over 9,855 flood control projects worth 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) now under scrutiny. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto estimated that up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) may have been lost to corruption since 2023.
Philippine police will arrest 18 suspects in a major corruption scandal, president says
