Metro Manila, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has filed plunder charges against Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez with the Sandiganbayan on Monday, Sept. 7, over a month since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself mentioned that his cousin may face cases in the flood control scandal.
A source from the anti-graft court confirmed to NewsWatch Plus the case filing on Monday afternoon, with former House appropriations chairman and fugitive Zaldy Co also listed as a respondent. Two other private persons were on the charge sheet.
Romualdez is so far the most influential person among those facing charges as a result of the president ordering a probe on high-level corruption in flood control projects, and Congress taking up the cudgels as well even if a number of those mentioned in investigations are sitting lawmakers.
In August, the ombudsman said it has at least 28 witnesses on the Romualdez case, despite the former speaker pointing out retractions of five people who identified the lawmaker as recipient of project kickbacks.
The ombudsman has tagged Romualdez as “a central figure in a scheme built on the diversion of public funds meant for flood control projects.”
On Sunday, Sept. 6, the Leyte lawmaker appealed for fairness to the graft-buster in light of the dropping of charges against former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan in a bid to turn him into a state witness.
“We are requesting the ombudsman to inform us if there is any allegation from Secretary Bonoan against former Speaker Romualdez and to give us ample time to comment on it,” Ade Fajardo, Romualdez’s lawyer said.
“Fair play and due process require that such information and opportunity be accorded to us at this point in the process, the preliminary investigation stage, not if and when the Ombudsman decides to file charges in court,” he added.
This is a developing story.
