Philippine President, Son of Former Dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Just Got Pulled Into a Shocking Corruption Allegation

On 14 November 2025, Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., son of the infamous dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., faced explosive allegations of orchestrating billions in corrupt budget insertions for flood control projects, igniting a firestorm in Manila.

This shocking twist in the ongoing graft scandal—dubbed the 'Flood Control Fiasco'—threatens his administration's credibility, as former lawmaker Zaldy Co directly implicates Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in siphoning public funds amid deadly typhoons.

With trending searches exploding on 'Marcos Jr corruption allegation', 'flood control scandal 2025', 'Zaldy Co claims', 'Philippine graft probe', 'Bongbong Marcos jail vow', 'infrastructure anomalies Philippines', 'Romualdez budget insertions', 'Marcos anti-corruption drive', 'typhoon flood corruption', and 'dictator son scandal', the revelations echo the family's dark legacy of plunder during the 1965-1986 martial law era.

The Flood Control Fiasco: Billions Misappropriated Amid Typhoon Chaos

Typhoon Tino in November 2025 exposed glaring failures in the Philippines' flood infrastructure, displacing over 4 million and killing 232, as defective dams and canals—meant to protect low-lying areas—collapsed under deluge.

Public outrage surged when audits revealed anomalies in projects worth £7.25 billion ($9.54 billion), including ghost contracts and overpriced equipment, prompting President Marcos to form the Independent Fact-Finding Commission on 11 September 2025.

Critics decry how these flood control projects, meant to shield 110 million citizens from annual deluges, instead enriched a cabal of officials and contractors, leaving bridges washed away and farmlands submerged.

Bloomberg reports Marcos's administration accelerated probes post-typhoon Kalmaegi, yet the scandal's roots trace to 2022 campaign donations from implicated builders, blurring lines between politics and profiteering. This betrayal, amid climate crises, has eroded trust, with analysts warning of deeper economic scars from such systemic rot.

Zaldy Co's Bombshell: Direct Orders from Marcos and Romualdez Alleged

Former lawmaker Elizaldy 'Zaldy' Co ignited the powder keg on 14 November 2025, confessing to inserting £1.29 billion ($1.70 billion) in phantom projects into the 2025 budget at the behest of Marcos and Romualdez, who allegedly directed funds to loyalists. Co's affidavit details kickbacks funnelling £116 million ($153 million) to political coffers, including Marcos's 2022 bid, violating election laws and inflating the 'most corrupt' fiscal blueprint.

Lawyer Jesus Falcis amplified the claims on X, demanding Marcos explain the £1.83 billion ($2.41 billion) insertions and a purported £122 million ($160 million) DPWH slush fund,

Marcos dismissed the evidence as Senate hearsay, vowing judicial independence, but Asia Times notes his kin's entanglement risks fracturing his coalition. Romualdez faces parallel scrutiny, with Reuters highlighting how these allegations echo Marcos Sr.'s cronyism, potentially derailing legislative agendas.

As probes intensify, the president's denials clash with mounting dossiers, forcing Filipinos to confront whether reform or relapse prevails.

Marcos' Tough Talk: Jail Vows and Political Fallout

Mass protests erupted on 21 September 2025, drawing thousands to Manila's streets in a clarion call against the flood control corruption, blending faith groups, retirees, and activists under banners decrying 'Marcos plunder'. Demonstrators, soaked by ironic downpours, burned effigies of President Marcos Jr.—depicted as a rat symbolizing graft.

Arab News quantifies the toll: annual economic haemorrhage of up to $2 billion from graft, stalling GDP growth to 4% in Q3 2025 and spiking food inflation via crippled imports.

Marcos counters with pledges for AI-driven audits to staunch leakages, yet Philstar reveals he downplays corruption's role in the slump, attributing woes to cyclones and trade woes.

Voices like activist Antonio Tinio on X expose illegal donations from contractors to Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, fuelling disqualification murmurs for 2028.