Flood control cases filed since Marcos' SONA 2025

It has been a year since President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. vowed during his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to crack the whip on the corrupt who pocket kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.

He punctuated his speech with a challenge to those involved—a signature line which helped bring to the public eye the enormity of the multibillion-peso corruption scandal.

"Mga kickback, mga initiative, errata, SOP, for the boys. Kaya sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino!" Marcos then said.

(Kickbacks, initiative, errata, SOP, for the boys. To those colluding to steal public funds and the future of our people, you should be ashamed of what you are doing to your own countrymen.)

Now that it is almost time for the President's fifth address, what developments have taken place since then?

Sandiganbayan

November 2025 — The Office of the Ombudsman filed before the Sandiganbayan corruption and malversation of public funds charges against former Ako-Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 4B officials, and Sunwest Corporation directors.

The charges were in connection with the alleged anomalous P289-million flood control project is a road dike along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Co was reportedly in Prague in April. His current whereabouts remain unknown.

January 2026 — The Ombudsman filed malversation through falsification of documents and graft charges against former senator Ramon Revilla Jr., former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan assistant first district engineer Brice Hernandez, and five others.

This is over an alleged 92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

May 2026 — The Ombudsman filed plunder and two counts of graft cases against Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and others over alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Aside from Bonoan, DPWH National Capital Region District Engineers Manny Bulusan and Arturo Gonzalez Jr. and Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna are also included in the charge sheet.

Court of Tax Appeals (CTA)

February 2026 — The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed four counts of tax evasion charges against contractor Sarah Discaya before the CTA.

These were over alleged violations of Sections 254 (Willful Attempt to Evade or Defeat Taxes) and 255 (Willful Failure to Supply Correct and Accurate Information) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

March 2026 — The DOJ filed four counts of tax evasion cases against contractor Curlee Discaya, Sarah Discaya's husband. Similarly, the charges were for Willful Attempt to Evade or Defeat Taxes and Willful Failure to Supply Correct and Accurate Information.

June 2026 — The DOJ found probable cause to charge Hernandez, former DPWH Bulacan assistant district engineer Jaypee Mendoza, and first district engineer Henry Alcantara with tax evasion.

Regional trial courts (RTCs)

December 2025 — The Ombudsman charged Sarah Discaya and others before a trial court over a P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

June 2026 — The Ombudsman filed malversation and graft charges against the Sarah and Curlee Discaya and nine other individuals before the Malolos RTC.

Other individuals charged were Hernandez, Mendoza, Merg Jaron Laus, Ernesto Galang, Norberto Santos, Lorenzo Pagtalunan, Juanito Coronel Mendoza, Floralyn Simbulan, and Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando

This is over the rehabilitation of river construction structure along Bulusan, Calumpit, Bulacan under DPWH Contract ID 22CC0058.

In the same month, a Quezon City regional trial court dismissed a P1-billion civil case filed against Co, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas, and several other respondents over their alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects, citing lack of jurisdiction.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro has said Marcos' fifth SONA will be "simple but dignified" and will not feature celebrity directors or A-list personalities from the entertainment industry.

The National Capital Region Police Office said that over 20,000 police officers will be deployed to provide security. — VDV, GMA News