Philippine president’s cousin charged over US$118 million flood scandal

The case came more than a year after Marcos put the so-called “ghost” infrastructure projects, believed to have cost Filipino taxpayers billions of dollars, centre stage in a public address.

Several construction firm owners, government officials and politicians have been accused of pocketing funds from the projects.

On Monday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the plunder case against Martin Romualdez, the Philippine president’s congressman cousin, involved a total of 7.4 billion pesos (US$117.9 million) in alleged bribes, anomalous budget insertions and project allocations.

Investigators earlier alleged that Romualdez, former lawmaker Elizaldy Co and other personalities conspired to unlawfully accumulate 56 billion pesos in ill-gotten wealth from public funds.

Romualdez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.