Jonathan Frederic De Santos

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expresses intense anger over the discovery of "ghost" flood control projects in Bulacan during his inspection of a river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliuag, August 20, 2025. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

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/17630282268081763028221654.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr. expresses intense anger over the discovery of &quot;ghost&quot; flood control projects in Bulacan during his inspection of a river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliuag, August 20, 2025. <em>Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(2nd UPDATE) </strong>— Vice President Sara Duterte maintained that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte should be held liable for the flood control scandal after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that his cousin  is “not as yet” among officials who will face charges over the corruption mess.</p><p>Duterte said Congress had inserted items in the General Appropriations Act that were not included in the National Expenditure Program — the executive branch&#x27;s budget proposal that is subject to congressional review and revision.</p><p>“Yun pa lang, ebidensya na ‘yun. Doon pa lang, masasabi mo na, na itong congressman na ito, ay merong insertion — nakatanggap,&quot; Duterte said in a chance interview on Thursday, November 13.</p><p>(That in itself is evidence. Just from that you can say that that congressman had an insertion — he took money)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/13/marcos-flood-corruption-suspects-to-be-jailed-before-christmas-1046"><strong>Marcos: Flood control corruption suspects to be jailed before &#x27;Christmas&#x27;<br/></strong></a></div><p>She said that people should check which districts the inserted projects were placed.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;SPEAKER ORDERED BUDGET INSERTIONS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Duterte, who previously said that <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/29/president-should-not-let-legislators-meddle-with-national-budget-sara-duterte-says-1451">presidents should not allow Congress to tinker with the national budget</a>, said that proof of Romualdez&#x27;s alleged involvement is the increase in funding in the GAA.</p><p>“O, so sino ba ang mag-uutos nun? ‘Yung mga congressman na kung saan-saan lang? Siyempre ‘yung leader, yung speaker,” she said.</p><p>(And who would order that? Congressmen from random districts? Of course, it was the leader, the speaker)</p><p>The vice president also reiterated her claim of alleged corruption in the Department of Education’s school building program during her stint as secretary.</p><p>“Sinabi ko na at sinabi namin, during a Cabinet meeting, nung ako ay nasa Department of Education, nahihirapan kami kasi kinuha ang school building program ng opisina ng speaker at chinop- chop nila iyong school building program, pinamimigay nila sa mga kaalyado nila o gusto nilang tulungan na mga congressman,” she said.</p><p>(I said and we said, during a Cabinet meeting, when I was at the Department of Education, we were having trouble because the Office of the Speaker took the budget for the school building program, chpped it up and distributed it to their allies, or the congressmen they wanted to help)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/7/protesters-want-ombudsman-to-investigate-marcos-jr-s-role-in-flood-control-mess-1302"><strong>Protesters want Ombudsman to investigate Marcos Jr.&#x27;s role in flood-control mess<br/></strong></a></div><p>She said that if Marcos, her 2022 running mate and former political ally, is saying there is no evidence against Romualdez, it is because the President is not doing anything.</p><p>Earlier this year, Duterte survived the threat of an impeachment trial over irregularities in the use of confidential funds previously granted to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. </p><p>She said that House hearings into her offices and the impeachment complaint against her were part of Romualdez&#x27;s plans to derail her presidential run in 2028.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;DAPAT ISALI SI BONGBONG&#x27;</strong></div><p>Ultimately, Duterte said, she also wants Marcos Jr. to be held accountable for corruption in flood-control projects because he signed the 2025 GAA into law.</p><p>“Sa iyon pa lang, Presidente ka, pag dumating yan sa harap mo... meron kang mga tao na isa-isa, titingnan lahat &#x27;yun. Tama ba ito? Tama ba ito? Bago mo siya pirmahan,” Duterte said.</p><p>(You&#x27;re the President, so when that reaches your desk... you have people to go through it and check whether things are in order before you sign)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/30/marcos-signs-2025-national-budget-vetoes-194-b-line-items-1239"><strong>Marcos signs 2025 national budget, vetoes P194-B line items</strong></a></div><p>Duterte said that Marcos Jr. had sworn under oath to ensure that the budget process and spending is constitutionally “faithful”, which implicates him in every anomaly.</p><p>“Oo, pwede na niyang ikulong ang sarili niya. Aminin na niya — aminin na niya na ano talaga na meron siya pagkukulang,&quot; she said.</p><p>(Yes, he can send himself to jail. He should admit that he has had shortcomings)</p><p>Marcos Jr. previously said that attempts to implicate him in the flood control mess are meant to force him out of office.</p><p>He said in September that he knows that there are <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/15/-gusto-nila-akong-tanggalin-marcos-jr-on-critics-linking-him-to-flood-control-mess-2153">&quot;several&quot; in the opposition who “would love to bring me into this — to include me in all of this.&quot;</a> </p><p>He added: &quot;But that&#x27;s politics. That is not — that is not to do about corruption.&quot;</p>

<p>Duterte said Congress had inserted items in the General Appropriations Act that were not included in the National Expenditure Program — the executive branch's budget proposal that is subject to congressional review and revision.</p>

Duterte said Congress had inserted items in the General Appropriations Act that were not included in the National Expenditure Program — the executive branch's budget proposal that is subject to congressional review and revision.

Sara Duterte wants Marcos Jr., Romualdez held accountable over flood control scandal

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Sara Duterte wants Marcos Jr., Romualdez held accountable over flood control scandal

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 13, 2025 06:13 PM PHT

|

Updated Nov 13, 2025 11:23 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Martin Romualdez

General Appropriations Act

Flood-control projects

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