Metro Manila, Philippines – Despite snubbing an earlier invitation, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez may again be invited to the next hearing on the flood control scandal, Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said.
“For the next Blue Ribbon hearing, we can invite Romualdez anew and course the invitation through Speaker Faustino Dy III,” Lacson said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 22.
“If he wants to attend, he is welcome to come and air his side. But he cannot be forced to come due to inter-parliamentary courtesy,” Lacson added.
Lacson, who is also Senate president pro tempore, said either Romualdez or a representative of the Securities and Exchange Commission could shed light on the controversial purchase of a house and lot at 30 Tamarind Road in South Forbes, Makati in 2023.
It can be recalled that former Ako Bicol Representative and House appropriations committee chairman Zaldy Co mentioned the same address as an alleged drop-off point for kickbacks supposedly intended for Romualdez and his cousin, President Ferdnand Marcos Jr., an allegation both have denied.
Co made the allegation in videos released on social media. He remains in hiding, reportedly in Portugal, amid a standing warrant of arrest for plunder in connection with alleged anomalous flood control projects and kickbacks.
During the previous hearing, two staff members of the mansion’s former owner testified that contractor Curlee Discaya asked them to fast-track the vacating of the property, claiming it had been bought by Romualdez.
Romualdez has also denied any link to the Discayas.
Lacson noted that records showed that the buyer of the P1-billion property was Golden Pheasant Holdings Corp., whose major stockholder, Jose Raulito Paras, held positions in at least three companies tied to Romualdez.
“We will invite Atty. Paras and if he says Golden Pheasant and not former Speaker Romualdez bought the property, he can explain to the Bureau of Internal Revenue what his financial capacity is to buy the house, which is quite expensive,” Lacson said.
“I am not saying this is enough to implicate the former speaker. What I am saying is that it will provide leads to investigators because the Senate investigation is not for prosecution but is in aid of legislation. At the same time, we can forward the appropriate evidence to the investigating agencies,” he added.
The Senate already invited Romualdez to attend its hearing in November after witness Orly Guteza testified to delivering suitcases of cash from Co to Romualdez. Lacson earlier told The Newsmaker that since Romualdez did not attend the said hearing, he was no longer invited to the resumption of the probe last Monday.
