Senate panel invites Romualdez, ex-Marines to flood control mess hearing

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has invited former Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez to the resumption of the panel’s hearing on the flood control scandal.

In a statement, Senator Pia Cayetano, chair of the panel, said they have formally issued invitations for the hearing scheduled on Thursday, June 4, 2026 as part of its ongoing inquiry into flood control projects.

“We look forward to the cooperation of all invited resource persons and agencies as the Committee carries out its mandate in aid of legislation and public accountability,” she said.

At the top of the list of 34 personalities invited to the hearing is Romualdez, who has repeatedly denied allegations of masterminding the flood control mess and insertions in the national budget.

The Senate panel also restored the invitations extended to 18 individuals who claimed to be former personnel of the Philippine Marines who claimed to have delivered kickbacks to government officials.

Earlier on Tuesday, their lawyer, Levi Baligod, said his clients were called to attend the hearing, but the invitation to be resource persons was withdrawn in a later email.

Also invited to the hearing is Former assistant engineer Brice Hernandez of the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office Brice Hernandez, who earlier implicated several lawmakers in the flood control mess. — JMA, GMA News