Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765162076157photo-collage.png (1)_cropped_processed_by_imagy.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ombudsman Boying Remulla, Rep. Sandro Marcos, and Rep. Martin Romualdez. 📷༘ <em>Jonathan Cellona, Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has vowed to &quot;follow the evidence&quot; after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) tagged Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos, and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez as &quot;pork barrel kings&quot; in a November <a href="https://pcij.org/2025/11/29/allocables-are-the-new-pork/">report</a>.</p><p>From 2023 to 2025, the PCIJ found that the highest shares of nearly P1.2 trillion in &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/28/-alok-able-funds-dizon-to-scrap-formula-for-allocable-non-allocable-funds-0904">allocable</a>&quot; funds — which it called the new form of pork barrel — went to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s son, Sandro, and cousin Romualdez, a former House Speaker.</p><p>Specifically, the investigative outlet said the younger Marcos was allotted P15.8 billion while Romualdez had P14.4 billion for the past three years.</p><p>&quot;Follow the evidence. Where the evidence leads us, we&#x27;ll have to go. Hindi na kami mamimili niyan. Where the evidence leads us, we will go there. We will bring it to the proper forum,&quot; Remulla told ABS-CBN News&#x27; Karen Davila in a recent interview that aired Monday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/2/marcos-jr-first-family-open-to-lifestyle-check-malaca-ang-1544">Marcos Jr., First Family open to lifestyle check: Malacañang</a></div><p>&quot;Allocables&quot; are the new form of pork barrel, but the total amounts are determined by the executive rather than by the lawmakers, who can decide how the funds should be spent, according to the PCIJ.</p><p>The Supreme Court declared the Priority Development Assistance Funds or PDAF, also known as pork barrel, unconstitutional in 2013. </p><p>However, civil society and other watchdogs from time to time flag possible new forms of the discretionary funds in the national budget.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;HARD DECISIONS&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>When asked if he would also investigate the former House Speaker, Remulla said, &quot;Yes. Wala naman akong choice eh. It&#x27;s a responsibility that I have to the Filipino people. And ano pa ba ang gusto kong mangyari sa buhay ko kung gano’n, di ba? I mean, apektado na nga ang pamilya ko, apektado mga anak ko. Pero they know that it’s a job that I have to do.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I chose to be the Ombudsman. I applied for it, [and] I had to go through a lot of things to become the Ombudsman. We will do what it takes.&quot;</p><p>As the country&#x27;s ombudsman, Remulla — appointed by President Marcos —  is facing pressure to hold public officials from different political backgrounds accountable in relation to the flood control scandal and related corruption schemes.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/4/sandro-marcos-faces-ici-i-came-here-on-a-voluntary-basis-1342">Sandro Marcos faces ICI: &#x27;I came here on a voluntary basis&#x27;</a></div><p>Remulla said he could investigate the presidential kin and not look at it from a personal perspective, adding, &quot;I have been a leader all my life, and I have to make hard decisions. That&#x27;s part of leadership, &#x27;wag mong tatanggapin ‘yung responsibility kung &#x27;di mo kayang gumawa ng desisyon na mahirap.&quot;</p><p>He also said his office would use the PCIJ report.</p><p>&quot;Sa umpisa &#x27;yan parang hearsay &#x27;yan, pero pag binigyan kami ng supporting document, then we will validate the document, then we start investigating,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/42aZz0SUEng?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has vowed to "follow the evidence" after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism tagged presidential son Rep. Sandro Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez as "pork barrel kings" in a report.</p>

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has vowed to "follow the evidence" after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism tagged presidential son Rep. Sandro Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez as "pork barrel kings" in a report.

Remulla vows to 'follow evidence' after PCIJ report on Sandro Marcos, Romualdez

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Remulla vows to 'follow evidence' after PCIJ report on Sandro Marcos, Romualdez

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 08, 2025 10:50 AM PHT

|

Updated December 19, 2025 03:35 PM PHT

Read More:

Jesus Crispin Remulla

Boying Remulla

Ombudsman

PCIJ

Sandro Marcos

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Martin Romualdez

Pork Barrel Kings

politics

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