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Ombudsman Reports 35 Flood Control Cases Pending in Courts

The Ombudsman has filed 35 flood control-related cases in courts and is investigating additional complaints and audits.

3 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Ombudsman Reports 35 Flood Control Cases Pending in Courts — Archive photoPhoto: Gibraltarombuds · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Office of the Ombudsman has announced that 35 cases related to flood control projects are currently pending in the courts. According to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, 31 of these cases are filed in the Sandiganbayan, while four are in the regional trial courts (RTCs).

In addition to the court cases, the Ombudsman is also conducting preliminary investigations into 166 complaints related to flood control. This effort is part of an ongoing scrutiny of public officials and employees involved in these projects.

Ombudsman Remulla confirmed the filing of cases against former Speaker Martin Romualdez, stating that despite some potential witnesses recanting their testimony, the cases will still proceed. He stated, "Yes, why not? It’s already there anyway," indicating that legal actions will continue irrespective of witness statements.

The Commission on Audit (COA) has contributed to the investigations by submitting 50 fraud audit reports concerning flood control projects to the Ombudsman. This submission was confirmed by COA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba during a recent Senate committee hearing on the agency's budget.

These audits and the pending cases highlight the efforts by the Ombudsman to address alleged anomalies in flood control projects. The investigations aim to ensure accountability among public officials involved in these projects.

The ongoing developments signal a comprehensive investigation into flood control measures and the associated handling of funds, with the aim of transparency and legal accountability within the government.

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