Marcos says Martin Romualdez' fate up to Ombudsman 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday said he has no idea when the charges will be filed against his cousin, former Speaker and incumbent Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, stressing that the matter is now in the hands of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Marcos said this during the presidential luncheon hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), when asked when he expects the charges against Romualdez to land.

“I think you should be asking that question to the Ombudsman. I am not privy to the investigations that are being conducted by the Ombudsman. I am not privy to any kind of schedule,” the President said.

“But the Ombudsman and his office are very much on this subject. As I'm sure you have gleaned from his statements that he has been making in the past few weeks. So, we leave it to the Ombudsman,” he added.

Regardless, Marcos said he will give Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla a call to ask for updates.

In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, it could be recalled that Marcos reported the charges and detention of ranking officials and contractors in the flood control projects scam, and the expected filing of charges against Romualdez.

Romualdez, in response, said he respected the President’s remarks in the SONA even if they hurt his family.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro has called out a lawmaker for his remarks that Marcos cannot afford to put his very own cousin behind bars over the flood control controversy. —LDF, GMA News