MANILA, Philippines—The camp of Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez maintained that there is no evidence linking him to irregularities but his lawyer said he will fully cooperate once a plunder complaint has been filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
"To be clear, this refers only to a reported preparation of a complaint involving Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez," Ade Fajardo, Romualdez's lawyer and spokesman, said in a statement.
"We respect the processes of the Office of the Ombudsman and will fully cooperate if and when a formal proceeding is initiated. We trust that the Ombudsman will fully adhere to the circular that he instituted and signed as then Secretary of the Department of Justice, that DOJ prosecutors should only pursue cases with 'reasonable certainty of conviction,’” Fajardo said.
He stressed that there is no evidence linking Romualdez to “any alleged ghost project or alleged substandard project.”
"We remain confident that these matters will be resolved based on evidence and due process—not politics or speculation," Fajardo said.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said that they are preparing a case of plunder against Romualdez, a former speaker, and former Senate president Francis Escudero in connection with the budget process.