A Philippine lawmaker charged with corruption in flood control projects

A Philippine lawmaker and former House speaker has been charged with allegedly pocketing millions from flood control projectsMANILA, Philippines -- A Philippine lawmaker and former speaker of the House of Representatives was charged Monday for allegedly pocketing millions of dollars in kickbacks from flood control projects in a widening scandal concerning vital public construction to shield communities from typhoons. Rep. Martin Romualdez, a cousin and former political ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and others are facing plunder charges at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. "The amount involved here is 7.4 billion pesos ($118 million), and this has been divided in various transactions where the money was used,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, whose office filed the charges, told a news conference. Romualdez has earlier denied any wrongdoing. Nearly 10,000 flood control projects worth more than 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) that were supposed to have been undertaken since Marcos took office in mid-2022 have come under scrutiny. Many were found to be substandard, overpriced or not built at all.The Philippines is among the countries most exposed to destructive typhoons, so...