Philippines: Assets of Estrada, Villanueva, Co, Cajayon-Uy, Bernardo frozen; freeze of Romualdez's assets sought

Manila: Freeze orders have been issued for the assets of two Senators, and several official amid an ongoing sweep on money laundering and corruption linked to ghost and substandard public works projects.

Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that freeze orders have been issued for the assets of Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, Rep. Zaldy Co, former Rep. Mitch Cajayon, sacked DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara, and retired DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

“I believe the freeze orders have been issued already by the AMLC,” Remulla told local media.

Remulla, however, made no mention of the accounts and assets of former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the president's cousin.

Public fury

Amid Philippines' escalating flood control scandal, anti-corruption advocates have urged Philippine President Marcos Jr to also order a freeze on the assets of now-resigned House Speaker Martin Romualdez alongside Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, head of the House Committee on Appropriations.

Recent Senate hearings and Ombudsman probes have exposed their alleged roles in siphoning billions through illicit kickbacks, ghost projects, and midnight budget insertions in the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the annual national budget, with contractors like the Discaya couple and Bryce Hernandez, a sacked government engineer, testifying and name-dropping these powerhouses linked to 30% cuts on DPWH contracts.

Luxury jets and helicopters owned by Romualdez and Co, valued at tens of millions of dollars, are now under public scrutiny, fuelling public outrage over constant flooding amid deadly typhoons.

President Marcos Jr is Romualdez's cousin.

Critics say the president must shoulder full responsibility for this top-level greed which has amplified multiple provinces to climate vulnerabilities, and echoed the "pork barrel" plunder of the past.