Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez said he remained committed to proving that he was innocent in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal amid proclamations from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that justice for corruption was more important than family ties.

The sentiments of Romualdez came after the President mentioned during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the investigations of the Office of the Ombudsman into the multibillion-peso flood control scandal had led to one destination–the former House Speaker.

Marcos admitted that the development hit a little too close to home, particularly as he and the lawmaker were first cousins, as they were the children of siblings Imelda Marcos and Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez.

For Martin, however, though feeling a similar sorrow, he maintained that he was eager to clear his name from accusations through his own terms–without any help from his older cousin.

“Painful as it is for our family, I respect the President's statement. I never asked for any favors or special treatment,” he said.

“I agree that we should do what is right. Doing what is right means following the process and letting the evidence speak for itself. I maintain that I have not done anything illegal,” he added.

Exactly a year after Marcos first delivered his famous “Mahiya naman kayo” speech that first exposed the country to the scandal, the Office of the Ombudsman is actively conducting a preliminary investigation into Martin.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla had even identified the former Speaker as one of the supposed “masterminds” in the issue, stressing the latter’s role in crafting the 2025 national budget, which had become the center of the controversy.

The individual who has been identified as his co-conspirator was former partylist representative Zaldy Co, who has remained elusive from authorities and has reportedly sought political asylum in a foreign country.

The Ombudsman, for its part, maintained that submitting a case against the solons was not an immediate determination of guilt, as it would allow both respondents to submit their respective responses to the case.

In the 104-page resolution that was filed, Romualdez and Co had supposedly amassed P56 billion in ill-gotten wealth through a kickback scheme related to infrastructure projects from 2022 to 2025.

At the center of the evidence against the individuals were said to have been affidavits from the self-proclaimed bagmen of Co, who have repeatedly claimed to deliver cash-filled luggages to numerous public officials.

Romualdez, through his counsel, has repeatedly denied the accusations, maintaining that the budget was primarily handled through the executive branch rather than the legislative.