Tiangco flags project-location mismatch in P26.6B Romualdez allocations

MANILA — Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco on Tuesday flagged a mismatch in the locations of P26.64 billion worth of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects attributed to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, noting that only P2 billion of the total was allocated to Romualdez’s congressional district.

Tiangco said he considered the disparity a red flag because most of the projects were located outside Romualdez’s district, a practice lawmakers referred to as “parking.”

“A legislator ordinarily seeks projects for their own district. It does not make sense for a legislator to request or propose projects outside their district. A mismatch between proponent and congressional district where the project is located was a red flag and reason to inquire further,” Tiangco said.

The lawmaker made the testimony during the Sandiganbayan Third Division’s bail hearing on Romualdez’s plunder case involving alleged ill-gotten wealth worth P7.4 billion from government infrastructure projects.

Tiangco said the information came from an Excel file sent to him through Viber by the late former DPWH Usec. Catalina Cabral on March 26, 2025. 

The file contained a list of P209 billion worth of House-led DPWH projects and their proponents.

Before receiving Cabral’s list, Tiangco said he had also requested a copy from Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez on March 24, 2025, but received it only on March 31.

Tiangco claimed Suarez’s list excluded P26 billion worth of projects attributed to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and another P5 billion allocated to Tingog Party-list, where Romualdez’s wife, Yedda, serves as a representative.

“May nagkukulang na listahan. ‘Yon yung ayaw ibigay ni Jay-Jay sa akin kasi ‘yon yung tinatawag na special list. Yung special list na ‘yon, doon nakalagay yung P26 billion ni Martin Romualdez at yung P5 billion ng Tingog Party-list,” Tiangco said.

Tiangco also alleged that Suarez consulted Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos before releasing the list because the president’s son was also named as a project proponent.

According to Tiangco, the younger Marcos told him that Suarez had raised concerns about his name appearing on the list.

“Sa pagitan noong panahon na ‘yon, nagkausap kami ni Cong. Sandro, sinabi niya na sabi ni Jayjay sa kanya, “Pano ‘yan? Pag binigay ko listahan kay Toby, lalabas na proponent ka rin,” Tiangco said.

“Ang sagot ni Sandro kay Jay-jay is ‘walang problema, ibigay mo. Kasi di ko naman binenta ‘yong projects. Libre naman ‘yan, hinihingi sa akin, binigay ko walang kapalit’,” he added.

Tiangco claimed that in the list prepared by Suarez, there were markings indicating which lawmakers voted in favor of or against Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment in February 2025.

“‘Yong isa doon [sa list ni Suarez], nakasulat positive [and] negative…. ‘yung positive ‘yon po yung bumoto nung first impeachment, ‘yung negative ‘yon po yung di bumoto sa first impeachment,” Tiangco told reporters in an ambush interview. 

“Yung blue yung bumoto sa first impeachment, and ‘yung red ‘yong di bumoto,” he added. 

Tiangco said he initially thought the list of lawmakers marked according to their votes would determine funding allocations. But the President later told him the impeachment vote had no bearing on the release of funds.

“Ang sagot ni Presidente sa akin, walang usapang ganyan, hindi ito konektado doon sa impeachment,” he said.

Tiangco said he later found this to be the case because he received funding despite initially voting against Duterte’s impeachment.

ABS-CBN News has reached out to Suarez for a statement on the matter. 

Tiangco said lawmakers referred to the practice of allowing another legislator to insert projects in their districts without receiving a commission as “sagasa.”

He explained that a congressman who secured a project for another lawmaker’s district could expect a “parking fee” in return.

The court then asked Tiangco why he did not consider projects attributed to Rep. Sandro Marcos a red flag despite some being located outside his district.

“Siya (Rep. Sandro Marcos) yung nire-request-an [ng lawmakers]… Being the son of the President, marami lumalapit sa kanya… so lalabas pangalan niya as proponent pero napunta sa ibang district,” Tiangco replied.

The lawmaker said he compiled the list to identify possible irregularities, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive amid concerns over budget cuts to PhilHealth and the Department of Education’s failure to receive the largest allocation.

Tiangco testified about a Nov. 24, 2024 meeting in which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allegedly reprimanded Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co over funds taken from the budget.

“During that meeting, I personally witnessed the President reprimand Romualdez saying, ‘Wala pa akong napapagawang malaking proyekto. Kasi kayo ni Zaldy kinukuha niyo ang pera sa mga malaking proyekto. Kayo ni Zaldy ang sumisira sa gobyernong ito, papabagsakin ninyo ang gobyerno ko,'” Tiangco said in his judicial affidavit.

“I remember him saying to Romualdez, ‘How many houses in Forbes Park do you want? How many airplanes do you need? How many Ferraris do you want? How much caviar can you eat?'” he added.

Romualdez allegedly assured Marcos that whatever the president wanted would be restored during the bicameral conference process, Tiangco said.

However, Tiangco said these items were still not reflected in the bicameral conference committee report.

The defense objected to Tiangco’s statements, arguing that it was hearsay.

Tiangco also testified that in a private meeting on Dec. 2, 2024, he reportedly told Romualdez that he had information that Co was selling projects in exchange of 20% commitment fees, which could go as low as 10% for relatives.

Tiangco said his wife, Michelle Romualdez Yap, is the former Speaker’s cousin.

“I requested an additional P200 million through [ex-Cong.] Dong Gonzales. Dong Gonzales relayed Zaldy Co’s 10% condition as a ‘presyong kamag-anak,’ and I refused to proceed under that condition,” Tiangco said.

“I remember Speaker Romualdez telling me, ‘Dapat dumiretso ka na lang sa akin’,” he added. 

Tiangco said he was disappointed with Romualdez because he expected him to address Co’s percentage demands. 

“This instance reinforced my understanding that Zaldy Co had been selling projects and demanding commission within Speaker Romualdez’s knowledge and political authority,” he said.

The defense referred to Tiangco’s statements as “double hearsay.”

The lawmaker further testified that Marcos Jr. instructed his son to move for Co’s removal as House appropriations committee chairman on Jan. 13, 2025. Co was removed from the post that afternoon.

After Co’s removal, Tiangco said he attended another meeting with Marcos, then Budget Secretary Amenah “Mina” Pangandaman and then Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan to discuss DPWH projects inserted during the bicameral conference and placed on hold for further scrutiny.