Seven Detained in Philippines Flood‑Control Corruption Probe as Authorities Hunt Dozens More

Philippine authorities have detained seven people and are actively searching for additional suspects in a sweeping corruption investigation into flood‑control contracts, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday. The probe has exposed alleged irregularities that implicate powerful lawmakers, government engineers and construction firms.

The first indictments were filed by the Sandiganbayan, the country's special anti‑corruption court, against more than a dozen individuals, including former congressman Zaldy Co and several Department of Public Works and Highways engineers. Prosecutors described the filings as the opening salvo of what could become dozens of graft cases that the administration has vowed to pursue before Christmas.

The initial case centers on alleged irregularities in flood‑control projects in Oriental Mindoro province, most notably a 289‑million‑peso river dike contracted to Sunwest Corp., a company officials say is linked to Co's family. Investigators say poor oversight and kickbacks produced substandard or unfinished works across the country.

Marcos said one suspect was arrested and six others surrendered over the weekend. Authorities located the arrested individual in a house in suburban Quezon City; several people believed to have assisted in concealing the suspect were also taken into custody.

"My advice to the remaining suspects is for all of you to surrender, don't wait to be pursued," Marcos wrote on his Facebook page. "This will continue, we will not stop."

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the whereabouts of Zaldy Co are uncertain and that he is believed to be outside the Philippines. Remulla added that three other suspects may voluntarily present themselves at Philippine embassies in the United States, New Zealand and Jordan before being repatriated.

"No matter where you are in the world, we will find you," Remulla said, showing mug shots of detained suspects in orange shirts.

Witnesses testifying in Senate hearings and before an independent fact‑finding commission have alleged that current and former senators and representatives accepted large kickbacks from favored contractors that dominated lucrative flood‑control contracts for years. Several public works officials and engineers testified under oath that they helped facilitate those deals and received substantial payments.

The scandal has provoked public outrage after reports of extravagant lifestyles among the accused — mansions, suitcases of cash, fleets of luxury cars and private jets — and has prompted mass protests, including a large demonstration scheduled for Nov. 30 with backing from the Roman Catholic Church.

Those publicly linked to the probe include Rep. Martin Romualdez, the president's cousin and a close ally who has denied wrongdoing but resigned as House speaker, and former Senate President Chiz Escudero, who also stepped down while denying the allegations.

Investigators are reviewing at least 9,855 flood‑control projects valued at more than 545 billion pesos (about $9 billion) carried out since Marcos took office in mid‑2022. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has warned that up to 118.5 billion pesos (roughly $2 billion) intended for flood‑control work may have been lost to corruption since 2023.

Officials say the irregularities likely predate the current administration and that projects implemented under former President Rodrigo Duterte will also be examined as part of the wider review.