President Marcos still haunted by corruption as ‘messages’ showing he received money surface

Fresh corruption allegations have emerged against Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., casting a shadow over his administration despite the recent dismissal of two impeachment complaints against him. The new claims center on alleged communications showing the president’s direct involvement in kickback schemes related to public works projects.

According to opposition lawmakers, including ACT Teachers Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio, evidence exists in the form of text messages that purportedly show Marcos personally receiving and acknowledging billions of pesos in kickbacks from fraudulent flood control projects. The allegations suggest the president ordered the insertion of an additional ₱100 billion (approximately $1.8 billion) into the 2024 national budget, with a significant portion allegedly funneled back to him through intermediaries.

The claims are bolstered by testimony from Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, a high-ranking public works official, who reportedly stated he personally handled more than half of the additional budget allocation. Bernardo allegedly confessed to directing ₱8 billion (approximately $144 million) to the president.

Opposition legislators point to specific communications between Marcos and alleged intermediaries, including former Presidential Legislative Liaison undersecretary Adrian Bersamin. In one alleged exchange from March 24, 2025, Bersamin reportedly informed Marcos of a ₱8 billion kickback delivery, to which the president simply replied ‘Ok.’ Further communications allegedly continued until July 2025, just days before Marcos publicly criticized Congress for corruption in flood control projects.

Multiple lawmakers, including House of Representatives senior deputy minority leader Edgardo Erice, claim to have seen copies of these communications originally held by fellow legislator Leandro Leviste. The allegations build upon previous testimonies and revelations from former Marcos allies, creating a pattern of accusations that opposition figures describe as ‘strong evidence’ of presidential involvement in corruption.

The impeachment complaints against Marcos were dismissed on Tuesday by an overwhelming margin of 284-8 in the House of Representatives. Malacañang Palace expressed satisfaction with the dismissal, highlighting the support from congressional allies. However, anti-corruption groups and former representatives have expressed disappointment, arguing that the dismissal by an institution itself accused of corruption undermines constitutional accountability mechanisms.