The Philippine Office of the Ombudsman has filed a plunder case against former House speaker Martin Romualdez before the Sandiganbayan (the country's anti-graft court), identifying him as the "central figure" in an alleged scheme to divert public funds earmarked for flood control projects worth around P56 billion (roughly $1 billion). Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., also faces frozen assets, a travel ban preventing him from leaving the Philippines, and the cancellation of his US visas, while investigators are seeking testimony from former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan as a potential state witness. The case marks one of the highest-profile charges to emerge from the flood control anomaly scandal and signals a dramatic fall for the once-dominant political figure, who has denied masterminding any kickback scheme.