MANILA, Philippines — The investigation into alleged irregularities in the country’s flood-control projects has reached another major stage, with the Commission on Audit (COA) confirming that it has completed and submitted 50 fraud audit reports to the Office of the Ombudsman for possible cases and further investigation.
COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba disclosed the development during the Senate Committee on Finance’s budget hearing on September 3, as lawmakers examined the agency’s proposed 2027 budget.
Cordoba said COA’s Fraud Audit Office had completed the reports and turned them over to the Ombudsman for use in preliminary investigations and potential case filings.
The development adds another layer to the government’s widening investigation into alleged anomalies surrounding billions of pesos in flood-control spending.
From audit findings to possible criminal cases
The submission of the reports does not automatically mean that all individuals or companies connected to the projects have been found guilty of fraud.
Rather, COA’s audit findings are now part of the evidence available to the Ombudsman, which has the authority to conduct preliminary investigations and determine whether cases should proceed to court.
Cordoba said COA auditors are also assisting the Ombudsman in ongoing proceedings and can serve as witnesses in cases already filed before the Sandiganbayan or Regional Trial Courts.
That distinction is important: the reports can support investigations and prosecutions, but allegations still have to go through the appropriate legal process.
Ombudsman: 35 cases already in court
The COA disclosure came as the Ombudsman separately revealed that 35 flood-control-related cases are already before the courts.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told the Senate that 31 cases are before the Sandiganbayan while four are before Regional Trial Courts.
Another 166 cases are undergoing preliminary investigation, meaning the Ombudsman is still determining whether sufficient evidence exists to pursue formal charges. The agency is also conducting lifestyle checks involving 107 government officials.
The numbers indicate that the investigation has moved well beyond preliminary allegations, although many of the cases remain at different stages of the legal process.
Why Bulacan is getting special attention
One of COA’s major areas of focus is Bulacan, which Cordoba described as the “ground zero” of the flood-control controversy.
According to figures presented during the Senate hearing, approximately ₱98 billion, or 18% of the total value of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood-control projects implemented from 2022 to 2025, went to Bulacan.
That concentration of spending is one reason auditors have prioritized the province for deeper examination.
The scrutiny follows earlier COA findings involving flood-control projects in Bulacan. In January, for example, COA flagged projects worth about ₱325 million over alleged irregularities and submitted fraud audit reports concerning those projects for further action.
The investigation is not stopping at 50 reports
COA officials stressed that the fraud audits are continuing.
The agency’s Fraud Audit Office is expected to examine additional flood-control projects until investigators achieve broader coverage across the country.
This means the 50 reports should not necessarily be viewed as the final number.
More projects could be subjected to audit, while existing reports could potentially lead to additional investigations, administrative proceedings or criminal cases depending on what prosecutors and investigators establish.
Ombudsman builds up its investigative capacity
The Ombudsman is also trying to expand its ability to handle the growing number of cases.
Remulla told senators that the agency needs additional investigators, forensic accountants, engineers and other technical personnel capable of handling complex infrastructure and procurement cases.
The Ombudsman has already hired 60 new lawyers and planned to interview at least 40 more by November, according to reporting from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The Senate Finance Committee also approved at the committee level a proposed ₱7.232-billion 2027 budget for the Ombudsman, with lawmakers backing a proposed Ombudsman Marshal Service intended to strengthen the agency’s enforcement and investigative capabilities.
Government says the flood-control probe remains active
Malacañang has repeatedly said the investigation into alleged flood-control anomalies will continue.
The Presidential Communications Office said in August that the Ombudsman and Department of Justice were continuing their respective investigations into projects alleged to be ghost, substandard or ineffective.
The Palace also said DPWH could refer additional projects for investigation if they are found to have problems.
The controversy gained national attention after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly raised concerns about alleged ghost flood-control projects and ordered agencies to investigate how funds intended for flood mitigation were being used.
What happens next?
The crucial question now is what the 50 COA fraud audit reports will produce.
The Ombudsman will have to evaluate the findings, determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish liability and, where warranted, pursue cases through the courts.
For officials, contractors and other individuals who may be implicated, the reports could become significant evidence—but being mentioned or investigated is not the same as being convicted.
For the public, the issue is even bigger: billions of pesos have been allocated to infrastructure designed to protect communities from flooding, making questions over whether projects were properly implemented, completed and paid for a matter of public accountability.
With 50 COA fraud audit reports submitted, 35 flood-control cases already in court and another 166 under preliminary investigation, the investigation is entering a potentially consequential phase.
And as auditors continue digging into projects nationwide, the 50 reports now sitting with the Ombudsman may be only the beginning.
WWC ONE MEDIA M.J.E
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