The Office of the Ombudsman has placed around 30 cases involving the Department of Public Works and Highways under preliminary investigation amid allegations of anomalies in flood control projects. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced the development on November 4, 2025, as part of a broader government crackdown. A new task force will also examine projects linked to the Villar family.
On November 4, 2025, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed that approximately 30 cases related to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are now undergoing preliminary investigation. These cases stem from alleged corruption in multi-billion-peso flood control projects, including ghost and anomalous initiatives. "The DPWH is a problem in itself right now and we are getting all the information, we’re processing the data and we’re filing the cases," Remulla stated at the Ease of Doing Business Convention. He added that more cases are expected, with court filings planned for November 11 against those behind the anomalies and beneficiaries.
The investigations involve multiple agencies, including the Ombudsman, Department of Justice (DOJ), DPWH, and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). As of early November 2025, no individuals have been detained despite vows by the Marcos administration in July 2025 to pursue officials implicated in the scandal. Recent filings include complaints against Senators Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, and Francis Escudero, former representative Zaldy Co, and others for violations such as graft, malversation, and falsification. For instance, on October 29, 2025, ICI Chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. referred cases to the Ombudsman involving these figures and former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo over alleged kickbacks and ghost projects in areas like Bulacan, La Union, and Davao Occidental, totaling over P348 million.
Remulla also announced a dedicated task force to investigate flood control projects tied to the Villar family, such as improvements along the 11-kilometer Zapote River Drive in Las Piñas and Bacoor, Cavite, areas reportedly owned by the family. "We’re forming a new task force for that, just for Villar itself," he said. Evidence includes a money trail linking Escudero to P800 million in funds, with 20% allegedly delivered to an associate. Additionally, Remulla is exploring gross negligence charges against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez for appointing Co, who faces accusations of receiving up to 25% kickbacks from budget insertions.
The Ombudsman signed a memorandum of agreement with the Anti-Red Tape Authority to streamline probes into red tape and corruption, emphasizing that "corruption and red tape are not separate things. They feed each other." This comes amid Senate efforts to tighten budget rules and reduce unused appropriations averaging P385 billion annually, attributed to patronage-driven realignments.
