Bilyon-Bilyon on Hold as AMLC Goes After Flood Project Assets

The Anti-Money Laundering Council has moved to seize assets linked to the alleged flood control project scandal, filing three civil forfeiture cases before the Regional Trial Court in Manila on Wednesday, March 25.

According to the AMLC, the petitions cover a wide range of properties that had earlier been placed under freeze orders by the Court of Appeals. The trial court has also issued two provisional asset preservation orders so the money and real estate involved stay under court control while the cases move forward.

The agency said the probe has been one of its most complicated investigations in recent years because it involves numerous entities, interconnected accounts, and a massive volume of financial records. Thousands of accounts and multiple layers of transactions reportedly had to be checked, verified, and matched to establish clear links.

AMLC said it handled the investigation with deliberate care because the evidence needs to be complete and solid enough to survive close judicial scrutiny. In short, hindi raw puwedeng minadali if the goal is to recover allegedly illicit proceeds tied to public works anomalies.

The council also described these filings as only the first of several petitions connected to the case. As of January 2026, assets frozen in relation to the investigation had already reached P24.7 billion, showing just how big the controversy has become.

Source: Philstar.com — https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/03/25/2516772/amlc-files-asset-forfeiture-flood-control-scandal-assets