HOUSE Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez is stepping down from his post on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo Representative Ronaldo Puno said.
In a television interview, Puno said Romualdez finalized his decision to resign following a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Tuesday, September 16.
“So he goes to Malacañang and then he calls for us to assemble at his office, the party leaders…and he tells us already, he thanked everyone for working with him, spending energy and time to push forward the House agenda. And he says ‘I told the President already that I’m resigning tomorrow which is today,” he said.
“So we said why not go on leave he says ‘well you know if I go on leave, people will say he’s coming back or he’s just at the side still directing things and its not going to solve the problems’ he says ‘so if we cannot do this, we might as well cut clean’,” he added.
Puno said that about three weeks ago, Romualdez gathered them, the House party leaders, and discussed to them his plans of “stepping aside” due to the controversies involving the ongoing scrutiny on alleged corruption on flood control projects “that has been affecting the work of everybody” in the chamber.
He said they tried to convince Romualdez not to resign as it will cause “disorganization” to the chamber, but instead go on leave and have somebody take care of his business as the House leader.
Puno said Romualdez maintained that he needed to step down in order to face all the accusations hurled against him in relation to the anomalous flood control projects.
“He says ‘I want to do this also so that I can face all of these accusations. I will go before any investigation. I can defend myself I’m not hiding anything. I’m not afraid of any inquiries, so let’s just do that and I will continue to be congressman. I’ll serve the district’,” he said.
In a separate radio interview, Puno said Romualdez asked for their support for the election of Isabela Representative Francisco “Bodjie” Dy III as the new House Speaker.
The Discaya couple, owner of two of the top 15 construction firms that cornered the most number of flood control projects from the government from 2022 to 2025, earlier claimed, during a Senate hearing, that several congressmen are demanding for kickbacks on flood control projects in order for them to continue doing business with the government.
He said some of these congressmen claimed that they are collecting kickbacks for Romualdez and former House Committee on Appropriations chairman Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, saying they pushed for flood control fundings through unprogrammed funds and insertions in the national budget. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
