Romualdez not fleeing Philippines – lawyer
MANILA, Philippines — Leyte lawmaker Martin Romualdez remains in the country, as he stands to face the preliminary investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman on his alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.
Romualdez’s lawyer, Ade Fajardo, said the former House speaker is doing his job as representative of Leyte’s first district.
“Congressman Romualdez is not fleeing; he has remained in the country... He is attending to his constituents and, of course, he is complying with his legislative function as Leyte representative,” Fajardo said.
He said Romualdez is ready to face the preliminary probe, as well as answer allegations lodged against him and that all he is asking for is fairness.
“He is ready to face all these allegations, but through the proper process. That is our position: that there be a level playing field, so to speak, regarding these matters,” Fajardo said.
He reiterated that there is no evidence against the former House leader as he was not involved in the enactment of the 2025 national budget, except to sign it, and in the implementation of flood control projects.
Fajardo emphasized that this lack of proof is among the findings of the now defunct Independent Commission for Infrastructure.
He slammed as not credible and pure “lies” the statements of 18 alleged bagmen who had served as bodyguards of former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co.
Fajardo pointed out that earlier, the ombudsman himself tagged their stories as part of efforts to destabilize the Marcos administration.
He noted how the Department of Justice itself had filed charges for perjury against the 18 bagmen or the so-called maleta boys.
Ombudsman urged: Reveal graft cases’ status
A youth organization yesterday called on the Office of the Ombudsman to publicly disclose the status of corruption cases involving government officials, saying transparency is needed following the Sandiganbayan’s decision to grant bail to former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. in a malversation case.
In a statement, the Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) said the anti-graft body’s handling of corruption cases should be subjected to greater public scrutiny after the court ruled that prosecutors failed to establish strong evidence of guilt to deny Revilla’s bail.
“The Office of the Ombudsman has clearly failed to convince both the public and the courts of the strength of its anti-corruption cases,” SPARK said.
The group urged the ombudsman to disclose the status of investigations involving officials allegedly linked to corruption cases, including those previously mentioned in the flood control controversy.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas yesterday said Revilla’s release shows the people’s worst fears – that high and mighty officials can escape penalties for criminal acts and accountability. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Evelyn Macairan
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