BUTUAN CITY – Graft and criminal complaints were filed against House Speaker Martin Romualdez and several lawmakers before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday, accusing them of involvement in alleged “insertions” worth P241 billion in the 2025 national budget.
The complaint, led by former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, and PDP-Laban senatorial candidates Atty. Jimmy Bondoc and Atty. Raul Lambino, includes 12 counts of falsification of legislative documents and graft against Romualdez, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, former appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co, acting appropriations committee chair Rep. Stella Quimbo, and two unnamed individuals referred to as “John Does.”
The complaint alleges violations of the Revised Penal Code and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Despite these allegations, Quimbo defended the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) as legal, stating that any changes made were purely technical.
The issue began after concerns were raised about blank items in the budget, leading to a petition by former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab asking the Supreme Court to declare the GAA unconstitutional.
