Metro Manila, Philippines – The independent body investigating the flood control scandal referred the evidence against Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to the Office of the Ombudsman for “independent assessment and further investigation” without a recommendation to file charges.
In a document dated Nov. 21, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) said it transmitted Romualdez’s affidavit, the transcript, video, and audio recording of the body’s fact-finding inquiry on Oct. 14, as well as the court order that found Orly Guteza’s affidavit as falsified.
In a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, Guteza, who introduced himself as the ex-security aide of resigned lawmaker Zaldy Co, said he delivered suitcases of cash, supposedly project kickbacks, to Romualdez’s residences.
“This referral is issued without any finding or conclusion of guilt or liability on the part of former Speaker Romualdez,” ICI Chairman Andres Reyes said.
“This clear statement reinforces our confidence in the Commission’s impartiality and reinforces the constitutional role of the Ombudsman as the sole authority empowered to make determination on accountability,” Romualdez, through his lawyer, said of the ICI referral.
Reyes said the referral will permit the ombudsman to promptly and immediately undertake its own fact-finding probe.
“As the constitutionally designated disciplinary authority over public officials, the Office of the Ombudsman is better equipped to determine whether the circumstances, thus far disclosed, warrant administrative or criminal accountability under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards, and other applicable law,” read the referral.
Romualdez said he trusts the ombudsman to conduct an “independent, thorough, and objective review.”
On Friday, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also filed its referral with the ombudsman, recommending the anti-graft buster to probe both Romualdez and Co, as well as company officers of Sunwest Inc. and Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corporation in relation to plunder, graft-related crimes, and direct bribery.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named the two firms as among those that have cornered billions worth of flood control projects. They also have links to Co.
Authorities have started the manhunt for Co and 15 others to enforce warrants of arrest for graft and malversation charges over a substandard flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Co maintains P56-B delivery claim
On Monday, Co released another video statement, maintaining that he did not receive any kickback from DPWH projects, and only delivered P56 billion to Marcos and Romualdez.
He said that when he became the appropriations panel chairman of the House of Representatives in 2022, Romualdez, as House speaker at the time, ordered him to make monthly deliveries of P2 billion.
“Madalas hindi nabubuo ang hinihinging P2 billion bawat buwan ni speaker kaya ‘yan ang final total. Ang sinabi mismo ni Speaker Martin sa akin na hati sila ni Pangulong Marcos sa perang iyon,” he claimed.
[Translation: The speaker’s request for P2 billion per month is often not met, so that’s the final total. Speaker Martin himself told me that he and President Marcos will split that money.]
In that video, Co said the Marcos administration is planning to tag him a terrorist so he would be silent about the controversy.
Marcos called on Co to come home. The ombudsman previously said the former lawmaker must return and submit his statements under oath.
According to Bureau of Immigration records, Co left for Singapore on Aug. 6. The ICI began its investigation in September, with the ombudsman filing the charges against him two months later.
