Over missed filing fee, P1-billion flood control suit vs. Zaldy Co, Martin Romualdez dismissed

A Quezon City Regional Trial Court has thrown out a P1-billion civil complaint against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas, and several other respondents after ruling that it never acquired jurisdiction over the case.

In an order dated April 15, 2026, which was released publicly on June 29, the court said the plaintiffs failed to pay the required docket and filing fees despite being notified of the deficiency on Feb. 20.

Judge Madonna Echiverri, who penned the ruling, said there was no legal impediment preventing the court from resolving the issue after the plaintiffs failed to obtain any relief from the appellate court.

“As above-discussed by the court, plaintiffs failed to file the necessary action which they intend to do with the appellate court and to obtain any relief prohibiting this court to act on the case at bench. Hence, it is proper for this court to continue acting on the case.”

The court ultimately ruled that the non-payment of filing fees prevented it from acquiring jurisdiction over the complaint.

“This court finds that [it] has not acquired jurisdiction over the case due to the plaintiffs’ failure to pay the filing fee as computed by the Office of the Clerk of Court. Wherefore, this case is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.”

The lawsuit was filed in December 2025 by former Quezon City councilor Antonio Enrile Inton Jr., representing the United People’s Against Corruption (UPAC). It accused Romualdez, Co, Vargas, several unidentified Department of Public Works and Highways officials, and private contractors of abuse of rights and unjust enrichment in connection with alleged irregularities involving flood control projects.

UPAC based part of its complaint on data compiled by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), which showed that flood control appropriations for Vargas' district averaged P944.6 million annually, totaling about P2.86 billion between 2023 and 2025.

The group alleged that despite the funding, residents of flood-prone communities, particularly in the Novaliches area of Quezon City, continued to experience severe flooding.

“Despite these allocations, residents report little to no improvement in flood conditions in affected barangays... Kung may pondo, dapat may proyekto. Kung may proyekto, dapat may malinaw na resulta. At kung walang resulta, may mananagot (If there is funding, there should be projects. If there are projects, there should be clear results. And if there are no results, someone must be held accountable),” UPAC said in a statement issued in December 2025.

Responding to the dismissal, Inton said he has already challenged the RTC's ruling before the Court of Appeals through a petition for certiorari.

He maintained that the complaint was dismissed on procedural grounds rather than on its merits and said the appellate court had already required them to file their response in connection with the petition.

Inton said the trial court assessed the filing fees at around P20 million based on the P1-billion damages sought in the complaint. He added that the RTC also questioned his legal standing and found no proof that he was acting as pro bono counsel.

Vargas, meanwhile, welcomed the court's ruling, saying it confirmed his long-held view that the allegations lacked factual basis.

“We welcome this decision of the court. From the very start, we were confident that this case would not prosper. Gawa-gawa lamang ang mga akusasyon,” Vargas said.

“They are just using the courts for a smear campaign. We have always been transparent, but there are groups who want to flip the story,” he added.

Vargas also criticized the complainants for failing to pursue the case after filing it.

“These instances are a grave misuse of our legal system’s time and resources,” he said.