FACT CHECK: Romualdez not arrested, contrary to viral video’s claim

There is no arrest warrant issued for the former House speaker, though the President has said his cousin is set to be charged over the flood control scandal Claim: Former House speaker Martin Romualdez has been arrested after being implicated in the multi-billion flood control corruption scandal. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: A YouTube channel named “POLITICALPHTV” uploaded a video containing the claim on July 29. The video is titled “Kapapasok lang! Kulong na! Sa wakas! May mananagot na! Ngayon lang! Panoorin: Tamba arestado na!” (Just in! Already jailed! Finally! Someone’s being held accountable! Watch now: Tamba arrested!) Its thumbnail, which shows images of Romualdez alongside President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials, also bears the text “Kulong na! Ngayon lang! Romualdez! Arestado na!” (Already jailed! Just now! Romualdez! Already arrested!) As of writing, the video has garnered over 9,000 views and 765 likes. The facts: Romualdez has not been arrested or detained. During his July 27 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said that the Office of the Ombudsman is expected to file multiple cases against Romualdez, his cousin, over his alleged role in the flood control scandal. The Ombudsman has directed Romualdez to answer the complaints against him, but contrary to the claim, no arrest warrant has been issued for the former House speaker, and no government agency has reported that Romualdez has been taken into custody. The video’s central claim is also unsupported by its own content. Rather than presenting evidence of a supposed arrest, it recycles commentary from the YouTube channel “The General’s Viewpoint,” which discusses Romualdez’s response to the President’s SONA remarks. At no point does the narration state or present evidence that Romualdez was arrested or jailed. (WATCH: Biggest loser of SONA 2026: Martin Romualdez) Flood control scandal: Romualdez is among the key officials implicated in the Ombudsman’s investigation into the alleged misuse of flood control funds. Investigators allege that Romualdez, former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co, and others amassed about P56 billion in unexplained wealth between 2022 and 2025 through the diversion of public funds and other unlawful financial benefits tied to flood control projects. Separately, the Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division issued a precautionary hold departure order against Romualdez. In July, the Ombudsman reported that despite the order, Romualdez had been attempting to leave the country through informal channels ahead of the expected filing of plunder charges. Romualdez’s lawyer, however, has denied this, saying that the former speaker is not trying to leave the Philippines and that he is ready to face all investigations. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. How does this make you feel? Loading