Philippine President Marcos Launches Independent Flood Control Corruption Probe

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed that no one, including his relatives and allies such as House Speaker Martin Romualdez, will be spared from an independent investigation into alleged corruption in infrastructure projects, particularly flawed flood control facilities. He emphasized the probe's independence and its critical role in restoring public trust, highlighting that the commission will have subpoena powers and forward findings to enforcement agencies. Marcos expressed anger over the misuse of public funds, which have exceeded P500 billion since 2022, and supports peaceful protests against corruption, even stating that if he were not president, he might join them. The Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI), chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes and including experts like former DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson and Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, will scrutinize government projects over the past decade with full transparency. Marcos stressed the importance of accountability and warned against politicizing the probe, describing it as an inflection point in government operations and spending. The government has also redirected funds from flood control to education, health, and agriculture for 2026 as part of reform efforts.