Criminal and graft charges have been filed against House Speaker Martin Romualdez and several lawmakers before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged P241 billion worth of insertions in the proposed 2025 national budget.
According to an Inquirer.net report, leading the complaint are former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, and PDP-Laban Senate candidates Atty. Jimmy Bondoc and Atty. Raul Lambino. The charges include falsification of legislative documents and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Along with Romualdez, the complaint names House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, former House appropriations committee chair and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and acting appropriations committee chair Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo. Two unnamed individuals, referred to as “John Does,” are also included in the case.
The lawmakers are accused of violating Article 170 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, which penalizes corrupt practices by public officials. The complaint claims that the alleged budget insertions were unlawfully made to benefit certain interests.
