Romualdez says he will cooperate, appear before ICI

Leyte 1st District Rep. and former House speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez  (INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has signified his intention to appear before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) which invited him to attend a hearing.

Romualdez’ office, in a statement on Wednesday said that the former House of Representatives speaker has received the invitation from the ICI.

According to Romualdez, this is an opportunity to cooperate with the body tasked to probe anomalous infrastructure projects.

“The Office of Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez confirms receipt today of the invitation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI),” Romualdez’ office said.

“Rep. Romualdez welcomes the opportunity to cooperate with the Commission and fully supports its objective of promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance,” it added. 

“In this regard, Rep. Romualdez is prepared to appear before the Commission.”

Earlier, the ICI sent an invitation to Romualdez, and a subpoena to former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, for them to appear for the body’s flood control probe hearing on October 14.

ICI will also inquire about programs linked to the ghost or substandard flood control projects, as well as the procedures for the release of the unprogrammed funds.

Based on the invitation to Romualdez and the subpoena issued to Co, both signed by ICI Chair Andres Reyes, the hearing set for Tuesday will be at 10 a.m. at the commission’s office in Taguig City.

READ: ICI invites Romualdez, subpoenas Co for Oct. 14 hearing

According to the invitation, Reyes asked Romualdez in the letter to appear before the ICI’s hearing on Tuesday to discuss his “familiarity and personal knowledge as Speaker of the House relative to the National Budget insertions, and as well as the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) flood control projects.”

Romualdez was also included in the copy of ICI’s immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) request to the Department of Justice (DOJ) dated this Wednesday.

Several public officials and companies have been at the hot seat recently, amid revelations that flood control funds may have been lost to corruption. 

In his fourth State of the Nation Address last July 2025, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned government officials and contractors who allegedly benefitted from flood control projects at the expense of the people.

Eventually, Marcos inspected several projects which were then revealed to be either substandard or completely non-existent. 

Investigations from different bodies — including Congress — followed suit, but several lawmakers were implicated as either having interests in the companies that do flood control projects, or were accused of diverting funds for such purposes.

The flood control scandal eventually reached Congress’ leadership: last September 8, former Senate president Francis Escudero was replaced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, after after Escudero was criticized for receiving a P30 million campaign donation in 2022 from a contractor whose firm was able to bag a lot of government infrastructure projects.

READ: Sorsogon’s top contractor is brother of town mayor, city councilor

In the House, Romualdez relinquished his post last September 17, to allow an independent commission to probe his alleged involvement in flood control issues.

Romualdez has not been connected to any of the top companies doing the flood control projects, but he was one of the lawmakers named by contractor-couple Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya of allegedly receiving kickbacks from the projects.

READ: Romualdez quits as speaker amid flood probe pressure 

Romualdez called out the Discaya couple’s claims, calling it “false, malicious and nothing more than name-dropping.” /gsg