WATCH: Hontiveros welcomes Marcos' remarks on Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday, July 27, welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s statement distancing himself from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, saying it was the kind of message expected from the country's leader.

Speaking to reporters after Marcos' fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Hontiveros said she appreciated the president's declaration that he is not the "president of my family" or "president of my friends" in reference to the alleged flood control scandal.

"That's what a president should say," Hontiveros said.

Marcos earlier said the Office of the Ombudsman was preparing to file multiple cases against Romualdez, his first cousin, in connection with the alleged flood control scam.

"Hindi ako pangulo ng aking pamilya. Hindi ako pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ang pangulo ng Pilipinas," the president said during his SONA.

(I am not the president of my family. I am not the president of my friends. I am the president of the Philippines.)

The president also said the government had recovered, frozen and preserved P25 billion in assets, which have been returned to the national treasury.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman filed a supplemental complaint affidavit against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and several others for preliminary investigation.

The complaint alleged that Romualdez and Co amassed P56 billion in ill-gotten wealth from 2022 to 2025 through the alleged diversion and misuse of public funds and the receipt of undue financial benefits from government transactions.

The respondents are facing allegations of plunder, graft and direct bribery. — with reports from Kristine Daguno-Bersamina and Ian Laqui

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