The ACT-CIS party-list has reclaimed its seat in the House of Representatives following the resignation of Rep. Edvic Yap, with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) formally proclaiming businessman Jeffrey Soriano as his replacement in March 2026. Soriano will serve until June 30, 2028, completing the remainder of Yap’s three-year term.
The leadership change comes against the backdrop of an escalating corruption investigation involving billions of pesos in public works contracts and ongoing court orders freezing the assets of Yap and his brother, Benguet Rep. Eric Yap.
Comelec Formalizes Succession
Comelec announced Soriano’s proclamation on Wednesday, confirming his position as the third nominee of the ACT-CIS party-list. The party secured two seats in the 2025 national elections, originally filled by first nominee Edvic Yap and second nominee Jocelyn P. Tulfo.
“The Commission on Elections officially announced Jeffrey Soriano as the ACT-CIS Party-list on Wednesday March, 2026,” the poll body said.
Soriano took his oath before the Commission on March 4, 2026. “Soriano, positioned as the third nominee, is set to fulfill a three-year term that will conclude on June 30, 2028,” according to the official proclamation.
The appointment follows standard party-list succession rules, which allow nominees in ranked order to assume office if a vacancy occurs.
Resignation Amid Graft Allegations
Yap resigned in February 2026 after being linked to an investigation spearheaded by the Office of the Ombudsman. “Yap stepped down from his role last month. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla had previously linked him to allegations of receiving funds from the controversial contractor pair Pacifico Curlee and Carah ‘Sarah’ Discaya.”
The inquiry forms part of a broader probe into alleged irregularities in flood control projects and public works contracts awarded between 2022 and 2025. Authorities have scrutinized transactions connected to Silverwolves Construction Corp., a company reportedly beneficially owned by Yap.
Records cited in the investigation show that Silverwolves secured more than PHP 16 billion in public works contracts during that period.
Asset Freezes and Travel Restrictions
The legal pressure intensified in December 2025 when President Marcos publicly disclosed that the Yap brothers were subject to financial restrictions.
“In December of the previous year, President Marcos himself revealed the Yap brothers were subject of an order that froze their bank accounts and other assets, in addition to companies associated with them, such as Silverwolves Construction and Sky Yard Aviation Corp.”
The Sandiganbayan has since issued a precautionary hold-departure order against the brothers, preventing them from leaving the country. The Court of Appeals implemented asset freeze orders as proceedings continue.
The investigations cite potential violations of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and have drawn on financial tracking mechanisms associated with anti-money laundering oversight.
Projects Under Scrutiny
Among the contracts under examination is a PHP 2.895 billion flood control project in Oriental Mindoro, which has also implicated co-defendants of former lawmaker Zaldy Co. Officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways have appeared as witnesses in related proceedings.
The controversy has cast a long shadow over infrastructure projects in flood-prone provinces such as La Union and Oriental Mindoro, where communities depend on reliable flood mitigation systems during typhoon season. Delays or irregularities in these projects can translate into submerged homes, damaged crops and stalled local economies.
Implications for Public Trust
The party-list system was designed to amplify the voices of marginalized sectors in Congress. The resignation of a representative under investigation for graft risks eroding public confidence in that framework.
At the same time, Comelec’s swift proclamation of Soriano underscores institutional continuity. The House seat remains filled, and ACT-CIS retains its representation in the chamber.
For construction workers, contractors and provincial residents awaiting infrastructure upgrades, however, the case serves as a reminder that when public funds are questioned, the consequences ripple beyond courtrooms. Roads remain unfinished. Flood barriers stand incomplete. Trust, once shaken, is slow to rebuild.
As Soriano assumes office, the investigations into his predecessor continue—leaving ACT-CIS navigating both legislative duties and the reputational aftershocks of one of the more high-profile public works probes in recent months.
