Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

[Former] Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763084923696cropped-20250917-house-romualdez-resignation-MT2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">[Former] Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>— Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez along with other lawmakers invited by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee did not attend Friday&#x27;s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/lacson-led-blue-ribbon-resumes-flood-control-probe-after-month-long-pause-0945">resumption</a> of probe into flood control anomalies, citing the ongoing investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/flood-control-scam-individuals-facing-charges-and-actions-to-recover-public-funds-0916">Flood control scandal: Individuals facing charges and government&#x27;s bid to recover funds</a></div><p>Romualdez and 13 other incumbent lawmakers including Eric Yap, Arjo Atayde, Roman Romulo, Marcy Teodoro were among those newly-invited by the panel as resource persons in its 7th hearing on the issue.</p><p>The lawmakers were mentioned by previous witnesses as alleged recipients of kickbacks from flood control projects. They all denied the accusation. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/romualdez-denies-receiving-suitcases-of-money-from-co-s-ex-security-consultant-1832">Romualdez denies receiving suitcases of money from Co&#x27;s ex-security consultant</a></div><p>&quot;According to House Speaker [Bojie] Dy, the [incumbent] members [of the House] will not be appearing before the committee today in order to avoid any possible prejudice to the ongoing investigation and eventual findings of the ICI,&quot; panel chairperson Sen. Ping Lacson announced.</p><p>Dy&#x27;s letter was later shared by Lacson&#x27;s office. </p><p>In the letter, Dy said: </p><div><em>&quot;The concerned Members of the House have already formally submitted themselves to the jurisdiction and ongoing investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI)... As such, it is in the interest of the Filipino people that these House Members first fulfill their duty to cooperate with the independent investigative body directly tasked by the Executive with this matter. Subjecting them to a simultaneous legislative inquiry on the identical subject could potentially prejudice the findings of the ICI.&quot;</em></div><p>Former lawmaker Zaldy Co, another major player in the alleged kickback scheme, was also a no-show. His lawyer said Co was still overseas due to &quot;medical reasons,&quot; Lacson said.</p><div><br/></div><div><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/g6XzA0zAmVs?&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abs-cbn.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>The Blue Ribbon&#x27;s investigation was paused last month amid the resignation of Lacson as its chairman over supposed &quot;disappointment&quot; of his colleagues. He was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/11/lacson-re-elected-as-blue-ribbon-chair-flood-control-hearing-resumes-friday-1604">reelected </a>as the panel chair earlier this week. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/13/sara-duterte-wants-marcos-jr-romualdez-charged-over-flood-control-scandal-1813">Sara Duterte wants Marcos Jr., Romualdez held accountable over flood control scandal</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>—With reports from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><em></em><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><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/CTz8aDj5HNQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/axmpAlbMKc4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The lawmakers cited the ongoing investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on the same issue.</p>

The lawmakers cited the ongoing investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on the same issue.

Romualdez, other lawmakers skip Senate flood control hearing, cite ICI probe

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Romualdez, other lawmakers skip Senate flood control hearing, cite ICI probe

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 14, 2025 10:08 AM PHT

|

Updated November 14, 2025 10:24 AM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Blue Ribbon

flood control

corruption

scandal

crime

investigation

politics

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