The Court of Appeals (CA) has formally frozen the assets of a sitting legislator and several associates following an investigation into alleged irregularities within various flood control projects, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) announced this Friday.
Issued on April 23, 2026, the freeze order targets the financial holdings of the unnamed lawmaker, a business partner, and a specific corporate entity.
According to the AMLC, the court established probable cause that the properties are connected to criminal acts, including plunder, bribery, and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The scope of the order is extensive, encompassing dozens of financial instruments across all three parties. In a statement, the AMLC detailed the specific reach of the court’s directive:
“The freeze order covers a wide range of assets including 25 bank accounts and ten insurance policies registered under the name of the said legislator. They also include 27 bank accounts, ten insurance policies, and one investment account under the name of the legislator’s alleged business associate; and two bank accounts, seven property accounts, and one real estate property registered under the name of the corporate entity.”
While the AMLC’s official statement withheld the identity of the official, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla recently confirmed that his office was anticipating a freeze order against former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez.
Romualdez has consistently denied any involvement in the reported flood control scams.
Remulla further noted that authorities are weighing similar actions against former Senate President Chiz Escudero as part of a broader probe.
AMLC Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura emphasized that the petition highlights the agency’s “continuous commitment to uphold public accountability and protecting the integrity of the Philippine financial system.”
Under Philippine law, a freeze order serves as a provisional measure to secure assets suspected of being derived from illegal activity, preventing their disposal before the government can file formal forfeiture cases.
To date, the AMLC has initiated 12 civil forfeiture petitions in regional trial courts related to these infrastructure anomalies, all of which are now under asset preservation orders.