On Assignment With Me

It has been an eventful few weeks in Philippine politics and pursuing accountability.Martin Romualdez — former House Speaker and the President's own cousin — was arrested for plunder on September 7, 2026, over ₱7.44 billion in alleged flood control kickbacks. He's now in Payatas jail. At the same time, the Senate impeachment court is trying Vice President Sara Duterte over ₱612.5 million in confidential funds — a parallel test of whether the country's most powerful families can actually be held to account.It looks like justice finally caught up with the powerful.But here's the data most people don't see: fewer than 1 in 10 officials involved in corruption cases in the Philippines actually serve time. Cases drag for years. Evidence disappears. And often, the very lawyers sworn to uphold the law are the ones helping officials move and hide the money.On this assignment, I sit down with Ted Te, human rights lawyer, law professor, former Supreme Court spokesperson, and private prosecutor in the Duterte impeachment trial, to ask the question everyone's avoiding: is this actually different, or just theater with better production values?We talk about: — Why plunder convictions almost never lead to prison time — How lawyers help the powerful launder money "legally" — Whether impeachment can ever deliver real accountability — The flawed Philippine justice system  — What would actually need to change to fix this🎙️ On Assignment With Me Guest: Ted Te (@iamtedte)#Philippines #Romualdez #Corruption #Plunder #Impeachment #SaraDuterte #Sandiganbayan #PhilippinePolitics #Accountability

Former House Speaker and the president's cousin Martin Romualdez has responded to the allegations against him - and we break it all down in this episode.A falsified affidavit. Three recanted witnesses. A claim that the whole case was scripted as a blackmail scheme.I summarize the 116-page Counter Affidavit Romualdez filed this month, responding to the corruption complaint we broke down last episode, and it goes after nearly every piece of evidence in it.On this assignment, I walk through his defense point by point: he had no personal control over the flood control budget; a key witness affidavit was ruled falsified; security aides who described cash deliveries have now recanted; and why he's asking the Ombudsman to dismiss the case entirely, arguing that continuing to prosecute him would itself violate his constitutional rights.⚠️ A note before you listen: this is one side's sworn response to the allegations. It doesn't settle the case, and the Ombudsman still has to weigh both filings before deciding whether to move forward.📌 Follow along as this case develops. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and on my social media and YouTube channels: @natashya_g

Suitcases of cash. A fake money-changer. Mansions and multi-million donations around the world.A new Supplemental Complaint-Affidavit just landed at the Philippine Office of the Ombudsman — and it adds fresh witnesses, new financial trails, and new names to the country's biggest corruption scandal.In this episode, I break down the 104-page complaint and what the filing actually alleges against former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, ex-congressman Elizaldy Co and their accomplices: a cash-kickback scheme tied to flood control projects, a network of shell companies and professional intermediaries accused of moving the money, and new financial intelligence findings that show a massive gap between declared wealth and alleged cash flows.⚠️ A note before you listen: these are allegations contained in a legal filing, not a conviction. The respondents have not yet had the opportunity to respond to these allegations.🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcasts: On Assignment With Me📌 Follow along as this case develops: Subscribe to my YouTube channel and on social media @natashya_gCheck out my work and support this podcast: natashyagutierrez.com#PhilippineNews #MartinRomualdez #floodcontrol #Corruption #Ombudsman #InvestigativeJournalism #OnAssignmentWithMe

Real accountability or political theatre?In this episode, we analyze President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's statements on the flood control corruption scandal in his recent State of the Nation address, including his announcement that charges will be filed against his very own cousin Martin Romualdez. We look at accountability, political motives, and the prospects for genuine reform in the Philippines. On this assignment, we unpack how much of what he said in the SONA is real accountability — and how much is a government managing its own narrative, or the president just saving himself?Professor Jean Encinas Franco, professor of Political Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman, provides expert insights into the political landscape and the challenges of achieving transparency.Subscribe to "On Assignment with Me" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app: https://onassignmentwithme.transistor.fmFollow @natashya_g on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, X and Facebook.Support independent journalism and this podcast: buymeacoffee.com/natashya_gTo know more about my work, go to natashyagutierrez.com#Philippines #SONA2026 #BBM #corruption #martinromualdez #floodcontrol

Sports star Alex Eala just made history — beating defending champion Iga Świątek to reach the second week of Wimbledon, the deepest any Filipino has ever gone in a Grand Slam. Veteran sports journalist TJ Manotoc joins us on this episode to unpack what her rise means for the sport and the country.While Eala was eliminated by Jasmine Paolini in the round of 16, she’s now reached a career-high singles ranking of world number 28. And somewhere along the way, Eala stopped being just a promising athlete and became something bigger. A symbol of what's possible. Of excellence. Of a country's hunger to see itself win on a stage it's rarely been invited to. The 21-year-old from Manila has not only raised her own profile but has also ignited hope and pride among Filipino tennis fans.On this assignment, we'll explore the factors behind Eala's meteoric rise, the impact of her achievements in the Philippines, and what her journey signifies for aspiring athletes.🎾 Subscribe for more conversations on the stories shaping Philippine sports.#alexeala #tennis #philippines #sports #wimbledon

Government officials, business owners and developers have contributed to the destruction of Siargao's environment and natural beauty. On this episode, we speak to Siargao-based anti-corruption advocate and resort owner Christophe Bariou, about the impunity he has witnessed on the island, its impact on the environment, and how he's endeavoured to fight it.Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natural beauty – and is fast becoming one of the most popular islands in Asia. It’s now being touted as the next Bali not just because of its ability to draw international crowds, but because its rapid tourism growth and development have brought significant environmental pressures and sustainability challenges. The island is also facing major environmental issues caused by the climate crisis and corruption, and local communities are sounding the alarm.In this 3-part series “Saving Siargao,” we look at the environmental problems plaguing the paradise island, and speak to the people who are fighting to save and protect it. This series is supported by @EarthJournalism. #siargao #philippines #environment #onassignmentwithme #news #corruption #tourism

There's a crisis lurking beneath Siargao's oceans.On this episode, we speak to Chie Defino of Ocean Tribe Philippines and go beneath the surface of Siargao's seas – to understand the island's environmental issues underwater.Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natural beauty – and is fast becoming one of the most popular islands in Asia. It’s now being touted as the next Bali not just because of its ability to draw international crowds, but because its rapid tourism growth and development have brought significant environmental pressures and sustainability challenges. The island is also facing major environmental issues caused by the climate crisis and corruption, and local communities are sounding the alarm.In this 3-part series “Saving Siargao,” we look at the environmental problems plaguing the paradise island, and speak to the people who are fighting to save and protect it. This series is supported by The Earth Journalism Network.

On part 1 of our three-part series, our assignment is to understand the environmental impact of mass tourism on the island.On this episode, we speak to Analyn Dulpina, Kara Rosas, and Iris Aroa of Lokal Lab, a grassroots NGO focused on sustainability for Siargao. Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines, widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natural beauty. It's fast becoming one of the most popular islands in Asia, but it’s being touted as the next Bali not just because of its ability to draw international crowds, but because its rapid tourism growth and development have brought significant environmental pressures and sustainability challenges. The island is also facing major environmental issues caused by the climate crisis and corruption, and local communities are sounding the alarm.In this 3-part series, “Saving Siargao” we look at the environmental problems plaguing the paradise island, and speak to the people who are fighting to save and protect it. This series is supported by The Earth Journalism Network.

Siargao Island is a tear-drop shaped island in Southern Philippines, widely known around the world for its surfing, beaches, and natural beauty. It's fast becoming one of the most popular islands in Asia, but it’s being touted as the next Bali not just because of its ability to draw international crowds, but because its rapid tourism growth and development have brought significant environmental pressures and sustainability challenges. The island is also facing major environmental issues caused by the climate crisis and corruption, and local communities are sounding the alarm.In this 3-part series, “Saving Siargao” we look at the environmental problems plaguing the paradise island, and speak to the people who are fighting to save and protect it. This series is supported by The Earth Journalism Network.

EXCLUSIVE: Our latest investigation reveals two additional New York City properties have links to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.My assignment today is to investigate how documents, sources and new evidence ties Romualdez and his family to more US properties.Property records show that in 2025, Romualdez's business associate and fraternity brother Andrew Casino was named trustee of three additional properties at the Ritz Tower in Manhattan, just a year after Romualdez acquired a unit on behalf of his father's estate. Casino is the same lawyer who facilitated that acquisition, and another Romualdez property in Massachusetts. The new units were acquired in a similar manner that match previous luxury properties linked to Romualdez, and taken with additional evidence, raise questions over real ownership. This latest investigation brings the total number of properties linked to Romualdez, that we've found on this podcast alone, to four.Romualdez is the first cousin of Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr and one of his closest allies. He is one of the top government officials allegedly linked to the flood control corruption scandal, an accusation he denies. The Ombudsman is currently investigating him for money laundering, but no formal charges have been filed.Subscribe to Spotify, Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app: https://onassignmentwithme.transistor.fmFollow @natashya_g on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, X and Facebook.Support independent journalism and this podcast: buymeacoffee.com/natashya_gTo know more about my work, go to natashyagutierrez.com#nyc #ritztower #martinromualdez #lifestylecheck #philippines #floodcontrolcorruption