The House of Representatives has a new leader — and with him came a sharp warning.

Isabela Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III was elected Speaker on Wednesday, succeeding Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, who stepped down amid the widening flood control scandal.

Dy, a veteran politician from a dynasty long rooted in Isabela, assumed the post unopposed with the backing of 253 lawmakers.

Taking his oath before Negros Occidental Rep. Javi Benitez, Dy wasted no time setting the tone for his speakership. In his very first address, he issued a challenge to his colleagues: the days of shielding the corrupt are over.

“Under my leadership, this House will change,” Dy declared, his words echoing across the chamber. “No member of the present Congress will serve their personal interests. I will not defend the guilty, and I will not shield the corrupt.”

Paolo: A cover-up

Dy was one of Romualdez’s deputies in the present Congress, and the sole contender who was backed by the party leaders and the majority, according to Majority Leader Sandro Marcos.

With Dy having close ties with the former speaker, Sagip Rep. Paolo Marcoleta descibed the leadership change as a mere “prosthetic,” arguing that the House could have established “major institutional” reform.

Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, meanwhile, branded it as a “another cover-up move” by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., suggesting that he was long aware of the corruption in the flood control projects given that his son, Representative Marcos, was a member of the previous Congress.

“Mr. President, what is this? If you are really serious about [weeding out] corruption, why don’t you immediately press charges against the corrupt lawmakers? Corruption will not end with just crying and empty talk,” he said in Filipino.

‘Large-scale’ corruption

Dy’s ascension comes at a challenging time, when the House, particularly its leaders, is embroiled in a large-scale corruption scandal tied to flood control projects under the Marcos administration.

Romualdez and a key ally, Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, and 16 other lawmakers are suspected of involvement in the corruption in the flood control projects, allegedly receiving 10 to 25 percent in kickbacks from big-time contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya.

The lawmakers vehemently denied the accusations, with Romualdez contending that he was “self-made” and could never be bribed.

Apart from members of the House, Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada were implicated in the corruption scheme, allegedly receiving at least 30 percent in kickbacks.

Addressing the plenary for the last time on Wednesday, Romualdez asserted his innocence but stressed that giving up the post was necessary to uphold the integrity of the House amid the ongoing investigation.

“The issues surrounding certain infrastructure projects have raised questions that weigh not only upon me, but upon this institution we all serve,” he said.

“The longer I stay, the heavier that burden grows — on me, on this House, and on the President I have always sought to support,” the former speaker added.

Romualdez’s allies said that stepping down was a decision he made voluntarily, brushing off speculations that he was pressured by Malacañang.

Romualdez and Marcos reportedly met at the Palace on Tuesday, the day the then speaker was expected to resign.

Romualdez, who was reportedly considering vacating the post as early as the first week of September, pointed out that his decision to step down was necessary to ensure the independence of the impending probe by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure “without pressure, without influence, and without fear.”

Dy: No sacred cows

Dy vowed to ensure that all investigations related to the flood control projects would be fair and there would be no sacred cows.

Dy is no ordinary member of Congress. He hails from one of the prominent political families in Isabela, where he served as governor from 2010 to 2019 and as vice governor from 2019 to 2025 after reaching the term limit.

His family has long lorded it over the province, stretching back to the pre-EDSA revolution days.

The family patriarch, the late Faustino Dy Sr., was a former governor of Isabela, ruling the province from 1971 to 1986, and again from 1988 to 1992.

Dy first held a congressional seat representing Isabela’s 3rd District from 2001 to 2010 before making a comeback in the present Congress, representing the province’s 6th district.

Dy succeeded his son, Faustino “Inno” Dy V, who served two terms in Congress.

Meanwhile, his relatives, Faustino Michael Dy III and Ian Paul Dy, represent the fifth and third districts, respectively, in Congress.

To date, Dy has authored 25 bills, including a resolution seeking an investigation into the collapse of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela in February 2025. Most of his proposed laws focus on Isabela.

He is also pushing for the development of the bamboo industry by institutionalizing a council that would ensure that the scientific propagation, processing, utilization, and business development of bamboo would be made a priority through the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program.