By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez resigned on Wednesday amid mounting criticism of his alleged role in the Philippines’ multibillion-peso flood control scandal, triggering a leadership shakeup in the House of Representatives just a week after a similar change in the Senate.
Shortly after, 253 congressmen voted to replace him with Isabela Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.
“The issues surrounding certain infrastructure projects have raised questions that bring not only upon me, but upon this institution we all serve,” Mr. Romualdez, who was Speaker for three years, told the House floor. “The longer I stay, the heavier that burden grows on me, on the House, and on the President.”
The resignation of Mr. Romualdez, the President’s cousin, is the culmination of a broader congressional leadership shakeup that had been brewing since early September, and has already triggered a change in Senate leadership, with Senator Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III replacing Francis G. Escudero amid a fallout from the flood control scandal.
Mr. Romualdez said he quit to let the House have a fresh start and begin efforts to regain public trust.
“The House needs this change,” Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor told reporters before the speakership vote. “It needs to rebuild its reputation and regain its integrity after what has happened to the anomalous budget on flood control projects.”
Reports of irregularities in infrastructure contracts have fueled public outrage after a series of typhoons and monsoon rains earlier this year left Metro Manila and nearby provinces flooded despite extensive flood control projects.
Mr. Dy vowed sweeping reforms in a politically charged speech after being elected, pledging to confront corruption but offered few specifics on his policy agenda.
“Under my leadership, this House will change,” he said. “I will not defend the guilty, and I will not shield the corrupt.”
Mr. Dy, 64, is a member of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and returned to Congress after last serving as a congressman in the 2000s. He held provincial posts after, including a three-term stint as governor of Isabela, a northern province where his family maintains political influence.
The House will not spare “no rank, no ally and no office” in its pursuit of accountability against those involved in large-scale corruption, Mr. Dy said. “We must strengthen the oversight committee and fully cooperate with the independent commission on infrastructure.”
‘CONTINUITY’ MOVE
“The President recognizes the vital role of the House of Representatives, especially at a time when the public demands visible results and Congress is called upon to take active steps that address people’s concerns and deliver real improvements in daily life,” the presidential palace said in a statement.
“We respect the independence of the chamber and acknowledge the contributions of former Speaker Martin Romualdez,” it said. “We now look forward to working with Speaker Faustino Dy III to advance measures that strengthen the economy, ensure basic services, and protect our democracy.”
The Speaker post carries significant political clout and is traditionally held by an ally of the sitting President. It holds influence over the chamber, where tax measures and the annual national budget originate, and plays a key role in steering administration priorities through the House.
The change in the House leadership is seen as a “continuity” move for the Marcos administration and might be aimed at shielding the President’s allies from blowback following backlash over alleged ties to shady infrastructure deals, said Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University.
“The leadership change might be an attempt by the Marcos bloc to preempt any potentially untoward consequences from the ongoing probe into the flood control mess,” he said by telephone.
Mr. Marcos last month said about P545 billion had been channeled to flood control projects since 2022, noting that 15 contractors bagged about P100 billion or 20% of the total funds.
The House and Senate have launched separate inquiries that have since implicated engineers, contractors and politicians in large-scale corruption.
Reports of the flood control anomalies have sparked pockets of protests across the Philippines, a country frequently hit by severe flooding.
“Romualdez’s resignation may calm the storm inside the House, but it’s unlikely to satisfy public outrage,” Cleve V. Arguelles, chief executive officer and president at Philippine think tank WR Numero Research, said in a Viber message.
“Unless deeper accountability follows and the key masterminds are prosecuted and put behind bars, the public will see this as another case of political elites sacrificing one of their own to protect the rest,” he added.
