Philippines survey: 59% believe corrupt officials will go jail

Manila: Filipinos are in no hurry to see officials involved in the flood scams behind bars, showing deference towards due process, instead of hurried moves that may later backfire.

Most remain confident that those behind the multibillion-peso flood control scandal will eventually be punished, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey released Monday, January 12, 2026.

The survey, conducted from December 12 to 15, 2025, found that 59% of respondents believe the individuals responsible for the alleged corruption will be held liable and sent to jail.

Only 13% think the culprits will escape punishment, while 28% said they were unsure.

Optimism, however, has declined in recent months.

Confidence in the justice system’s ability to prosecute high-level corruption cases remains mixed: 44% believe it can successfully handle cases such as the flood control scandal, 24% expressed no confidence, and 33% were undecided.

Among institutions involved, the Office of the Ombudsman received higher trust ratings than the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). \

Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they trust the Ombudsman, compared with 18% for the ICI. Distrust was higher for the ICI at 31%, while 23% expressed distrust toward the Ombudsman.

Across all institutions, the media emerged as the most trusted actor in addressing the scandal, with 54% of adults expressing confidence.

Thirty percent were undecided, and 16% said they did not trust the media on the issue.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., however, received more negative than positive ratings. Forty-eight percent of respondents said they distrust his handling of the flood control controversy, compared with 30% who expressed trust, while 22% were undecided.

The Senate and House of Representatives garnered 37% and 31% trust ratings, respectively, alongside notable levels of distrust.

The survey was conducted about a month after Marcos vowed that several individuals linked to the scandal—including lawmakers—would be jailed before Christmas.

Of those expected to face arrest, only contractor Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya surrendered to authorities on December 9.

The controversy began after Marcos revealed in his July State of the Nation Address that 5,500 flood control projects had been completed under his administration, a claim later questioned amid persistent flooding.

Subsequent investigations revealed that nearly P100 billion of the P545-billion flood mitigation budget from July 2022 to May 2025 was awarded to just 15 contractors, triggering allegations of collusion, overpricing, and ghost projects involving lawmakers, contractors, and public works officials.