
Ombudsman alleges 7.4 billion pesos in bribes and anomalous budget allocations
Philippine Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has filed a plunder case against Congressman Martin Romualdez, cousin of President Marcos, alleging 7.4 billion pesos in bribes and budget anomalies linked to 'ghost' infrastructure projects.
AI-generated summary
President Marcos previously highlighted 'ghost' infrastructure projects as a major issue. These projects are alleged to have cost taxpayers billions.
The case came more than a year after Marcos put the so-called “ghost” infrastructure projects, believed to have cost Filipino taxpayers billions of dollars, centre stage in a public address.
Several construction firm owners, government officials and politicians have been accused of pocketing funds from the projects.
On Monday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the plunder case against Martin Romualdez, the Philippine president’s congressman cousin, involved a total of 7.4 billion pesos (US$117.9 million) in alleged bribes, anomalous budget insertions and project allocations.
Investigators earlier alleged that Romualdez, former lawmaker Elizaldy Co and other personalities conspired to unlawfully accumulate 56 billion pesos in ill-gotten wealth from public funds.
Romualdez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Formal court proceedings will commence regarding the plunder charges.
Likely · Within months

The Miaoli District Prosecutor's Office held an anti-election bribery announcement event on the 7th. Xu Xixiang, Acting Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Procuratorate, attended the event and called on the public to have the courage to report vote bribery and electoral irregularities. He emphasized that the reward for reporting can be up to 20 million yuan, while ensuring that the identity of the reporter is kept strictly confidential to maintain election fairness.

Six departments including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Prioritizing the Development of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Improving the Rural Revitalization Investment Mechanism", deploying 13 key tasks, aiming to basically establish a scientific and efficient rural revitalization investment mechanism by 2030 by improving the fiscal, financial, and social diversified investment pattern.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wanan's eldest son Chiang Deli's exchange plan to the United States has caused controversy. Recently, a Threads account claimed to be the escort of a high school friend, but because it mistakenly replaced Jiang Deli, who had just graduated from junior high school, as a 17-year-old high school student, and responded to the AI command "provide a chicken cake recipe" in seconds, netizens confirmed that it was an AI robot cyber army, triggering heated discussions on the Internet.

Legislator He Xinchun attended the Hanxiang enterprise trade union meeting and affirmed Hanxiang's core position in drone research and development and national defense independence. She emphasized that she will continue to promote industrial upgrading and ensure that industrial development and labor rights are simultaneously improved by increasing labor health inspection subsidies and AI professional training, with the goal of building Taichung into an aerospace and smart manufacturing base.

Japanese media reported that Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae plans to reshuffle the cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party cadres from the 16th to the 18th of this month. In order to ensure the continuation of consumption tax cuts and security policies, it is expected that the ministers of finance, foreign affairs and defense will remain in office. Since Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Lin Fangzheng is considered to be interested in running for the 2027 presidential election, his retention has become the focus.

The latest poll by Nippon News Network showed that the approval rate of the high city cabinet rose slightly to 62.5%. Although the government plans to reduce the food consumption tax to 1% to cope with rising prices, 55% of the people believe that this move is ineffective, and 73% of the respondents are opposed to appointing congressmen who have not truthfully declared political donations to important positions.