Manila (September 29, 2025) – Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday accused Leyte Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of being the “mastermind” behind what he described as a political drama designed to mislead the public on corruption allegations involving flood control projects.
Escudero claimed that Romualdez was orchestrating a “sarsuela” to shift the spotlight away from House members suspected of pocketing funds from the projects and instead redirecting attention toward the Senate.
“There is only one person behind this script,” Escudero said, pointing to Romualdez as allegedly manipulating the narrative surrounding the controversy.
The senator’s remarks come amid growing scrutiny over irregularities in the allocation and implementation of flood control funds. Critics have raised concerns that billions of pesos earmarked for infrastructure projects may have been misused through kickbacks.
Romualdez, however, denied the accusations, stressing he had no hand in any kickbacks from the projects. “These claims are baseless,” his camp said, adding that the allegations were politically motivated.
The brewing conflict between the Senate and the House has further heightened political tensions, with lawmakers trading barbs over accountability and transparency.
