Ombudsman to File Infra Mess Complaints by Nov. 25; No Plunder Alleged
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has confirmed that there will be no plunder case in the initial batch of complaints regarding alleged anomalous flood control projects set to be filed with the Sandiganbayan by November 25.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla made this statement during a press conference on Wednesday, referring to the cases based on findings from five flood control projects in Bulacan and the Oriental Mindoro case. These findings were submitted by the Department of Justice on October 14 and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) last month, respectively.
“By November 25, we will have these cases already filed with the Sandiganbayan,” Remulla said. He also mentioned that his office will file corruption-related charges against the six cases, including malversation, bribery, and falsification—but not plunder.
“Plunder is overrated,” Remulla noted, citing the low number of convictions in recent years. “That’s why we are focusing on easier crimes to prove.”
Although Remulla did not reveal the identities of those involved in the six cases, he hinted at their status. “They are indictable in the Sandiganbayan, which should give you a clue enough,” he said, indicating that the individuals involved are government officials with a salary grade above 27.
Senators and House lawmakers hold a higher salary grade—31.
These cases originated from congressional investigations that uncovered that several flood control projects were non-existent due to alleged collusion between lawmakers, private contractors, and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways. This led to the embezzlement of billions of pesos in funds.
The issue gained attention when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. claimed in his State of the Nation Address in July that 5,500 flood-control projects had been completed under his administration. Critics, however, questioned these figures amid persistent flooding.
In response, Marcos ordered an investigation into nearly 10,000 flood control projects completed in the past three years. He revealed that P100 billion—or about 20% of the P545-billion budget allocated for flood mitigation from July 2022 to May 2025—was awarded to only 15 contractors.
The ICI was tasked with conducting a closed-door probe into this major corruption scandal, raising concerns about transparency. Critics argued that this could undermine the credibility of its findings.
Under pressure, the ICI promised to livestream its proceedings but refused to release recordings of previous hearings.
Public outrage over the allegations led to protests on September 21, which turned chaotic in the Mendiola area of Manila. Rumors of a coup and calls for the Armed Forces of the Philippines to withdraw support from the government emerged, though the military dismissed these claims.
Another nationwide rally is scheduled for November 30, marking the end of anti-corruption protests that have taken place every Friday since October 10.
