Dennis Gasgonia

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — A lawmaker from the Makabayan bloc urged the Office of the Ombudsman and both chambers of Congress to look into an alleged records of communication that supposedly show that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. knew of alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.</p><p>The Palace has dismissed the allegation as baseless.</p><p>Gabriela Party-List Rep. Sarah Elago issued the statement after ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio claimed he saw records of the alleged messages. She said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the House Committee on Good Government and Accountability can look into these.</p><p>“Itong bagong developments na ito, seryoso at hindi dapat ipagsawalang bahala,” she said.</p><p>Kabataan Party List Representative Renee Co said the three-member bloc is considering filing complaints against officials allegedly involved in the kickback scheme based on the supposed records.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/10/house-throws-out-marcos-impeachment-bid-1657">House throws out Marcos impeachment bid<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>SUPPOSED TEXT MESSAGES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tinio said he has seen a record of alleged communication between Marcos Jr. and former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin from December 2024 to July 2025 that he said shows the former Palace official gave reports on cash deliveries.</p><p>“Ang lumalabas talaga ay siya (Bersamin) ‘yung personal runner, ibig sabihin utusan, bagman, ibig sabihin taga-tanggap ng kickback, tapos disbursing officer, siya ‘yung nagre-release ng pondo sa authorization ng Pangulo,” Tinio said.</p><p>He said one exchange had Bersamin reporting P7.112 billion in deliveries, which Marcos Jr. supposedly acknowledged. He added many of the exchanges between January and May 2025 were about campaign expenses.</p><p>“There are also communications regarding the production of TV ads and so on and so forth. So, very detailed, nire-report sa Pangulo at pinapayagan ng Pangulo. At malinaw na ‘yung pondo na ‘yun ay galing doon sa kickback,” Tinio said.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BATANGAS REP. LEVISTE IS SUPPOSED SOURCE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tinio did not show the media a copy of the message, but said his source for the supposed record is Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste.</p><p>He added Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice and an unnamed local government unit official are also aware of the information.</p><p>He said it would be better if Leviste himself would release the records &quot;because he can explain the provenance of these records.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/19/lawmaker-leviste-attends-blue-ribbon-probe-amid-questions-into-cabral-files-1322">Lawmaker Leviste attends Blue Ribbon probe amid questions into &#x27;Cabral Files&#x27;<br/></a></div><p>Asked about the matter, Erice said in a message that Leviste “showed us the text messages between PBBM and Adrian Bersamin.”</p><p>He also said that three more members of Congress and a mayor also saw them.</p><p>Leviste, meanwhile, said the evidence on alleged kickbacks will come out “at the proper time”. </p><p>He refused to directly respond to requests for copies or to questions on how he obtained them.</p><p>“Hindi ako magbibigay ng bagong pahayag; maaaring tingnan na lamang itong nakaraang post ko,” Leviste told ABS-CBN News in a message.</p><p>Malacañang dismissed the allegation as old intrigue crafted by those who want the president out of office.</p><p>&quot;Ang ibinabato sa kanya ngayon ay walang katotohanan. Sa ngayon, focused po ang pangulo sa mga isyung pang ekonomiya, said Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro. <strong>— Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></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/yyCvevcApJg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>A lawmaker from the Makabayan bloc urged the Office of the Ombudsman and both chambers of Congress to look into an alleged record of communication showing that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supposedly knew of alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.</p>

A lawmaker from the Makabayan bloc urged the Office of the Ombudsman and both chambers of Congress to look into an alleged record of communication showing that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supposedly knew of alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Ombudsman, Congress urged to probe alleged Marcos Jr. messages on flood control kickbacks

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Ombudsman, Congress urged to probe alleged Marcos Jr. messages on flood control kickbacks

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 11, 2026 07:50 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 11, 2026 08:04 PM PHT

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Makabayan bloc

House of Representatives

Ombudsman

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