MANILA, Philippines — Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez on Thursday asked the Office of the Ombudsman to drop the charges against him in connection to the flood control scandal.
The appeal was relayed by the lawmaker’s legal counsel and spokesman, Ade Fajardo, who insisted that there was no credible witness that could provide solid evidence that would prove he orchestrated the scheme.
“We see no grounds for it, so our prayer—our request to the Office of the Ombudsman—is for this to be dismissed, for the complaint against former Speaker Romualdez to be junked,” Fajardo said in Filipino in a statement.
The lawyer further noted that 32 witnesses, including alleged star witness Orly Guteza, former aides of former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, have recanted their statements pinning Romualdez, former speaker.Even former public works chief Manuel Bonoan has not implicated Romualdez, Fajardo stated.
“He did not link Congressman Romualdez to the flood control scam. There was no such testimony,” he said.
“No district engineer, assistant district engineer, or any field personnel did so, precisely because no specific flood control project was ever linked to former Speaker Romualdez—whether it was a project that didn't happen, wasn't executed, or was tampered with by him,” he added.
Fajardo acknowledged reports that the Ombudsman has identified 28 additional witnesses against Romualdez but said the defense has yet to learn who they are.
“But up to now, we still haven't seen, read, or learned who these 28 witnesses are,” Fajardo said.
