Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde just found himself at the center of online chatter after Curlee and Sarah Discaya dropped his name in a list of officials who allegedly took commissions from flood control projects. The 34-year-old lawmaker quickly denied the claims: “I categorically deny the allegation that I benefited from any contractor. I have never dealt with them. Hindi totoo ang mga akusasyon na ito.”

Of course, the internet had a lot to say about it. Within minutes, Pinoy netizens were already digging through receipts, creating memes, and yes, throwing in AlDub references for good measure. Here’s how the internet is reacting to Atayde’s alleged involvement in the DPWH flood control controversy.

QC Mayor Joy Belmonte’s timely interview with Karmina Constantino

Sa inilabas na interview video ni Karmina Constantino nitong Sabado, Setyembre 6, nabanggit ni Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte ang pangalan ni QC 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde hinggil sa isyu ng kahina-hinalang pumping station project sa Matalahib Creek sa Barangay Talayan sa… pic.twitter.com/7LexzfOItJ

— Pilipinas Today (@PilipinasToday_) September 8, 2025

Mayor Joy Belmonte’s interview with Karmina Constantino couldn’t have dropped at a more dramatic time. Just two days before the Discayas publicly linked Atayde to the DPWH flood control controversy, Belmonte revealed that the scandal had already pushed her to take a closer look at Quezon City’s own projects. That’s when she flagged a suspicious flood control pumping station in the First District a.k.a. Atayde’s turf.

“The congressman of that district, I sought his help, and he did actually intervene and set up a meeting with me and the DPWH Regional Director,” Belmonte said. “Congressman Atayde of the first district of Quezon City. Yes, it happened under his watch. In fact, in the beginning, he told me he didn’t know about it.”

She added that Atayde claimed he wasn’t aware of it, and she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. But now that his name is being dragged into the wider corruption allegations, netizens are side-eyeing that statement differently.

Arjo Atayde in Bagman

Netizens were quick to point out that before becoming a congressman, Atayde starred in the hit series Bagman, a dark political thriller where he played a barber-turned-politician who gets tangled in crime and corruption. Now, with his name caught up in the DPWH flood control controversy, people can’t help but ask: Is this life imitating art?

Maine’s iconic “Arjo cutie” post seen in a new light

Back in the day, before they even met, Maine Mendoza once called her now-husband “Arjo cutie” in a viral post that had fans swooning. It was the stuff of kilig manifestations. Fast forward to 2025, and netizens are reviving it with an ironic twist of fate.

The trolling doesn’t stop there. With Maine once being part of AlDub, arguably the nation’s once-favorite love team, more people are now saying they’d rather root for her past onscreen pairing than for her husband with his current political issues.

AlDub nation is revived

me after learning arjo atayde was linked to dpwh corruption pic.twitter.com/ge5oMxrMdH

— win (@WINCOCKLUVR) September 8, 2025

Remember when AlDub chants were everywhere, and we all branded them a cult because of their devotion to Maine and Alden Richards? Well, this issue just brought the fandom back, candles, chants, and all. Pinoys just couldn’t resist, can’t they?

Pinoys are listening to “God Gave Me You” again

Don’t be surprised if AlDub’s official theme song, “God Gave Me You” by Brian White, tops local charts once again. But this time, it looks like there’s a lyric change according to Senyora. “Flood gave me you”?

Famous copy paste

We have to thank Atayde for immortalizing this copy-paste trolling. It has always been aimed at him, created by AlDub loyalists who believed Atayde was the reason for the love team’s downfall. But this time, the text has been edited to reflect current issues.

Biggest comeback of the century

Move over Pinoy love teams, AlDub stans are back with a vengeance. With the controversy painting Atayde in a negative light, memes have been made left and right about how OG AlDub fans want to protect Maine from the consequences of her husband’s alleged involvement.

Maine Mendoza breaks her silence on the issue

Teka lang muna, those are baseless allegations. Please refrain from throwing hate and personal attacks at him, including me and our family until facts come out. I am with my husband in this. Wala siyang ginagawang masama sa loob. He has been doing his best to serve the people of…

— Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) September 8, 2025

With Atayde’s name trending nonstop and memes flooding social media, Maine Mendoza finally addressed the controversy. The actress and TV host broke her silence in a heartfelt post on social media, standing firmly by her husband.

“I am with my husband in this. Wala siyang ginagawang masama sa loob. He has been doing his best to serve the people of his district in Quezon City since the beginning,” she wrote.

Maine also called for fairness as the controversy continues to unfold: “I sincerely hope and pray that the people who are TRULY responsible will be held accountable and that innocent individuals be spared from this mess. Napaka unfair.”

For now, there’s no clear answer whether Atayde is indeed involved in the scandal. At the height of the controversy, Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro reminded the public that not everyone on the Discaya list can automatically be considered guilty.

“Mahirap na basta-basta mag-name drop. Kailangan kumpleto ang ebidensya nila,” Castro told ABS-CBN News. “Hindi lahat ng nabanggit ay guilty na. Kailangan pa rin ng kabuuang ebidensya para kapag isinalang sa korte ay hindi agad madi-dismiss.”

But what do you think of all this?

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