Manila, Philippines – November 13, 2025 – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Thursday that dozens of powerful politicians, lawmakers, and wealthy business executives implicated in a sweeping corruption scandal tied to flood control infrastructure projects will face jail time by Christmas. The announcement comes amid growing public outrage and protests demanding accountability for mismanaged funds linked to catastrophic flooding.

Massive Corruption Investigation

President Marcos revealed that an independent fact-finding commission has filed criminal complaints for graft, corruption, and plunder against at least 37 senators, members of Congress, and business leaders. Additional complaints were filed against 86 construction executives and nine government officials for allegedly evading nearly 9 billion pesos ($152 million) in taxes.

“I know that before Christmas, the cases of many of those who were named would be concluded and they would end up in jail,” Marcos said during a televised press briefing. “We don’t file cases for optics. We file cases to put people in jail.”

The corruption probe focuses on thousands of flood control projects across the Philippines, many of which were substandard, defective, or never completed, worsening the impact of recent typhoons.

Impact of Typhoons and Public Outrage

The issue is particularly critical given the Philippines’ vulnerability to extreme weather. Typhoon Kalmaegi claimed at least 232 lives last week, with 125 missing, mostly due to flash floods. Days later, Super Typhoon Fung-wong hit northern regions, leaving at least 27 dead and millions affected by floods and landslides.

The scandal has sparked street protests and civil unrest, with demonstrations planned for the coming weekend and on November 30, as citizens demand justice and accountability for the mismanagement of public funds.

Asset Freezes and Seizures

The government has already taken concrete steps to recover stolen funds. The Anti-Money Laundering Council issued seven orders to freeze assets, including 1,671 bank accounts, 144 properties, 244 vehicles, and other assets valued at 6.3 billion pesos ($107 million). The Bureau of Customs has seized at least 13 luxury vehicles linked to suspects, with initial auctions already underway.

Political Fallout

President Marcos emphasized that the investigations are non-discriminatory, including both allies and opponents. Among those implicated are lawmakers aligned with former President Rodrigo Duterte and allies of Marcos, such as former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin.

“Nobody’s immune. Nobody would be exempted in these investigations,” Marcos said.

Vice President Sara Duterte criticized Marcos, arguing he should also be held accountable for signing the 2025 national budget, which included appropriations for some of the disputed infrastructure projects.

Preparations for Imprisonment

Authorities unveiled a new jail in suburban Quezon City capable of holding up to 800 detainees, assuring the public that VIP treatment will not be extended to powerful politicians. The facility is intended to house corruption suspects while they undergo trial.

Scale of the Scandal

Investigators are reviewing nearly 9,855 flood control projects worth 545 billion pesos ($9 billion) since Marcos took office in mid-2022. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto noted that up to 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) may have been lost to corruption since 2023 alone.

Officials and international observers, including Denmark’s ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin, have praised the crackdown as a “healthy signal” demonstrating the government’s commitment to accountability