Muling iginiit ni dating Speaker at Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez na hindi siya ang utak sa katiwalian tungkol sa flood control issue. Sinabi rin niya na hindi siya papayag na maging “fall guy” sa kasalanan na gawa ng ibang tao, at iniutos sa kaniyang opisina na isapubliko ang mga affidavit na kaniyang isinumite sa isinagawang mga imbestigasyon.
“I will not keep quiet anymore. I will face this head-on, and I will speak with facts. I did not hide. I did not run. I did not evade scrutiny. I faced it head-on, within the proper channel, because I know there is no evidence that proves I committed plunder, conspiracy to commit plunder, or any similar offense that the Ombudsman may be contemplating against me,” pahayag ni Romualdez sa inilabas na video message.
“And because I have nothing to hide, I am today authorizing the immediate public release of the affidavit I submitted, together with all supporting information, so that the Filipino people can judge for themselves who has been transparent, and who is simply being politically targeted. How can I be the mastermind? I was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. But the House of Representatives is only part of one branch of government: the legislature,” dagdag pa niya.
Nilinaw din ni Romualdez na hindi lang ang Speaker ang gumagawa sa pambansang budget, sa halip, pinagtutulungan ito ng lahat ng miyembro ng Kongreso — mula sa Kamara de Representantes at Senado.
Ipinaliwanag din niya na nagmumula ang panukalang budget sa Ehekutibo kung saan inihahanda ng mga kagawaran ang hinihinging taunang pondo. Kasunod nito, isusumite ito sa Kongreso para repasuhin.
“I will not allow myself to be turned into the scapegoat so that others who are actually accountable can walk away clean. If this is a political play to push me out and close the story, tarnishing my name and my reputation, then I am telling everyone now: I will not go quietly, and I will not go alone. I will not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption,” pagtiyak niya.
“The national budget is not conceived, executed, implemented, bid out, supervised, and completed by one Congressman or even by Congress alone. And certainly not by the Speaker of the House. The budget deliberation does not stop in the House. The Senate also conducts its own deliberations, reviews its own version, and plays its own role in shaping the final budget,” paliwanag pa ni Romualdez.
Sa huli, nanawagan si Romualdez sa Ombudsman na sundan ang ebidensiya at proseso ng batas, at huwag padala sa public pressure.
“What I ask of the Office of the Ombudsman is simple: follow the rule of law and due process. This is a serious matter, and it should be handled with seriousness, not with haste, theatrics or shortcuts. I am ready and willing to respond to every allegation in the proper forum, through the proper pleadings, motions, and submissions that the law allows,” dagdag niya.
Una rito, sinabi ni Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla na iniimbestigahan si Romualdez dahil sa umano’y plunder at money laundering.-- Llanesca T. Panti/FRJ GMA News
