Only ‘small fry’ jailed? Mere propaganda, says Palace

January 1, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang dismissed as mere “propaganda” criticisms that only “small fry” involved in the flood control mess spent Christmas in jail, saying the administration has posted gains in its anti-corruption crackdown in a span of four months.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said several arrest warrants have been issued and millions of pesos in kickbacks have been returned since President Marcos ordered a probe into anomalous flood control  structures.

“Is (arrested contractor Sarah) Discaya a small fry? Is (resigned lawmaker) Zaldy Co, who is now in hiding, a small fry? They are not small fry... The ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) has recommended the filing of cases and they are now being investigated by the ombudsman. The DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) has filed cases directly before the ombudsman,” Castro told One News on Tuesday.

“I think this is just a propaganda against the President,” she added.

Co, who resigned as representative of Ako Bicol party-list last September, has a standing arrest warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan in relation to a questionable flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. The former lawmaker, who has been charged with graft and malversation of public funds, has been hiding in another country to evade supposed threats to his life.

Discaya, who is facing graft and malversation charges over a non-existent project worth P96.5 million, was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation on Dec. 18 and is currently detained in Cebu.

In November, Marcos said most of those who have been charged over the flood control controversy would be in jail and would not have a merry Christmas.

But some lawmakers are disappointed with the phasing of the crackdown against officials who benefited from projects kickbacks, saying only low-level personalities were sent to jail.

Akbayan party-list said only anchovies or dilis and ponyfish or sapsap have been arrested while the sharks who stole billions from state coffers remain free.

The Makabayan bloc, meanwhile, claimed that the Marcos administration’s promise to run after those behind the flood control scandal is just “empty rhetoric” meant to divert attention away from its “failures.” 

For his part, Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando said the administration should also put in jail the lawmakers involved in corruption-tainted projects, not just DPWH officials and contractors.

Castro said the administration’s critics only dwell on negative things and do not see the things that were achieved before Christmas.

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