The Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has invited former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and others to a resumed hearing on alleged irregularities in flood control projects, following testimony about cash deliveries and corruption.
The Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has issued invitations for former House Speaker and Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez to attend the resumption of its inquiry into alleged irregularities in flood control projects .
Also summoned to the hearing are the supposed 18 former Marines who were said to have corroborated the statements of their colleague, retired Sergeant Orly Guteza. Guteza had previously testified before the committee, claiming that between December 2024 and August 2025, while serving as security personnel for former Ako Bicol Partylist representative Zaldy Co, he delivered luggage containing millions of pesos in cash-referred to as trash-to Romualdez's residences in Pasig and Taguig at least three times.
Officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Budget and Management have also been invited to participate. Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Senator Pia Cayetano expressed optimism about the cooperation of all invited resource persons and agencies, stating that the committee is committed to fulfilling its mandate in aid of legislation and public accountability.
The resumption of hearings follows a suspension ordered by former chairperson Senator Panfilo Lacson on April 15, who argued that the inquiry had already gathered substantial evidence and that a formal committee report was needed before proceeding further. Lacson emphasized that Senate investigations conducted in aid of legislation should culminate in findings and recommendations rather than continue indefinitely.
The committee's partial report, which has not yet been formally adopted, reportedly includes findings from months of hearings involving former public works officials, contractors, whistleblowers, and lawmakers linked to alleged irregularities in flood control projects worth billions of pesos. The inquiry examined accusations of budget insertions, kickbacks, project allocations, and the alleged misuse of public funds. The draft report recommends criminal and administrative investigations against several incumbent and former officials who were allegedly implicated by testimony and documentary evidence.
Among those named in various versions of the draft report are Senators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva, as well as former senator Bong Revilla, Romualdez, Co, and other personalities. Under Senate rules, the committee needed at least nine signatures from members before the report could be formally sponsored in plenary. By early May, only seven senators had signed the partial report.
Despite the report not being formally adopted by the committee, Lacson transmitted its findings and supporting documents to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice. Lacson assured that the committee's work would not be wasted, as the evidence had already contributed to ongoing fact-finding and case-building efforts by government investigators. Lacson was replaced by Cayetano as the panel's chairperson following the change of leadership in the chamber.
The resumption of the inquiry is expected to delve deeper into the alleged corruption scheme, with a focus on the involvement of high-ranking officials. The committee aims to gather additional testimony and evidence to strengthen the case for legislative reform and potential prosecution. The hearings are part of a broader effort by the Senate to address systemic issues in public works projects and ensure accountability for the misuse of taxpayer money.
The outcome of the investigation could lead to significant changes in how infrastructure funds are allocated and monitored, as well as potential criminal charges against those found to have engaged in illegal activities
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