AFTER BEING DRAGGED into the hundreds of billions worth of corruption scheme, House Speaker Martin Romualdez stepped down to avoid an angry mob wanting to see him behind bars.
Romualdez, whose name has been dropped during the third hearing conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on September 8, made the announcement during a plenary session.
Immediately after stepping down, allies at the lower legislative chamber nominated — and installed Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino Dy III.
For one, the rise of a legislator coming from an entrenched political dynasty from the north is no more than a bid to sway the public to believe that Romualdez is a man of dignity and integrity.
The truth for that matter, Romualdez worked his way to make sure that whoever takes his place would be somebody obedient enough — if not intimidated by the power he wields.
BODGIE THE DYNAST
Rep. Faustino Dy III (nicknamed Bodgie), who rose to become a House Speaker, is part of a well-entrenched political dynasty which has been in control of Isabela for who knows how long.
A member of President Bongbong Marcos’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Dy III has served as a representative for Isabela’s sixth district covering Cauayan City, and the towns of Echague, San Guillermo, and San Isidro.
Dy previously represented Isabela’s third district from 2001 to 2010. In short, he has consumed the three-term limit, for which he chose to swap his district for an eligibility to run for the same position representing another congressional district.
MARTIN’S PROXY?
As a trusted ally of Romualdez, the former Speaker extolled him as Deputy Speaker at the onset of the 20th Congress.
House insiders believe Dy’s rise to speakership does not mean Romualdez is out, even as sources claim that the Isabela congressman is no more than a Romualdez proxy.
Romualdez’s resignation came on the heels of mounting public pressure over his alleged involvement in the flood control scandal. Along with 18 other legislators, Romualdez is being accused of receiving 10 to 25 percent kickbacks from every flood control project awarded to favored private contractors – including firms owned by Curlee and Sarah Discaya.
The Discaya couple is embroiled in allegations of substandard and ghost or non-existent flood mitigation projects. In a sworn affidavit, they claimed that commissions serve as a “condition” to win the contract and collect even before the project shall have been completed, if ever it existed.
MARTIN’S KARMA?
Calls for change in the leadership at the House of Representatives started during the 19th Congress, specifically in the waning months of their term of office.
Romualdez and Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co, were reported to have masterfully altered the National Expenditure Program (NEP) by virtue of budget insertions which were approved and used to fund flood control projects – most of which turned out to be duds.
In an apparent bid to save his ass, Romualdez, who has repeatedly warded off involvement in the budget insertions, was compelled to strip his “partner” Co of appropriations committee chairmanship.
The former House Speaker, to date, maintains innocence — “Wala akong kasalanan. Wala akong tinatago,” reads part of a news article which quoted Romualdez.
BODGIE’S RECORD
A closer look into Bodgie Dy’s record as a legislator doesn’t seem impressive.
His full record of bills filed and authored are mostly concerning the congressional district he represented at the lower legislative chamber.
- House Bill No. 4385 (18th Congress): Authored to convert the Arellano to Calanguigan road into a national road (filed September 4, 2019, referred to Public Works)
- House Bill No. 3847 (13th Congress): Authored to amend RA 8474 for the conversion of Ilagan into a component city (filed August 2, 2005, left pending).
- Co-authorship: Listed among the 80+ co-authors of House Bill No. 5477, establishing Malasakit Centers in all DOH hospitals. This became RA 11463 in December 2019.
No trace of him pushing landmark legislation on the national level. His focus has mostly been on infrastructure and local development projects tied to Isabela.
POLITICAL RECORD
Just like the Romualdezes, the new House Speaker’s family has long been in control of Isabela Province.
Dy for himself has been in politics for more than twenty years. He was elected congressman of Isabela’s third congressional district from 2001 to 2009.
In 2010, he became the provincial governor and at the end of his term, he slid to become the vice governor until 2025.
It was then that he reconsidered a House seat, but this time representing Isabela’s sixth congressional district.
With his family literally in control of Isabela, Bodgie Dy maintained a clean winning column — he never lost an election.
POLITICAL DYNASTY
Through the years, his family name has evolved into what looks more like a “brand” in Isabela. Thanks to the dominance of his father, Faustino Dy Sr. who ruled as Isabela governor for 18 years.
“For nearly 40 years, the Dys have controlled much of the province’s political machinery.
In 2022 alone, 10 Dys and 3 Albanos swept into power—holding congressional seats, mayoralties, board memberships, and other key positions,” reads part of an article posted on Facebook page Morning Coffee Thoughts.
Bodgie now sits as the 6th District Rep. His nephews Michael Faustino Dy and Ian Paul Dy are also in the lower legislative chamber representing the 5th and 3rd District seats.
Other Dys serve as mayors, councilors, and provincial board members.
PLUNDER CASE
Dy’s career isn’t as clean as many thought it was. The article posted on Facebook furthers reads:
In September 2020, former Angadanan Mayor Manuel Siquian filed a plunder case against Dy and 12 other officials over the Ilagan-Divilacan Road Project.
The 82-kilometer road was funded with a P1.5 billion loan secured from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
The allegations include “no public bidding, overpricing (P20 million per kilometer vs. the usual P5 million), and unwarranted benefits since the road led to the Dy family’s Honeymoon Island.”
Charges filed — three counts of plunder with conspiracy, graft, and malversation.
The Dy family also faced graft complaints over the alleged illegal acquisition of Honeymoon Island (Stagno Island), declared public domain in 1979. The road project allegedly gave them direct access to it.
FALLEN BRIDGE
In February 2025, the Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge collapsed just 26 days after opening. Again, Siquian called for an investigation, linking it to alleged anomalous projects tied to Dy. (With reports from Rose dela Cruz)
