Prosecution presents video of alleged suitcase deliveries to Romualdez at bail hearing

The prosecution in the plunder charges against former Speaker Martin Romualdez presented before the Sandiganbayan a video showing suitcases allegedly delivered to Romualdez's house in Forbes Park, Makati City.

In a “24 Oras” report by Maki Pulido on Monday, a 13-second cellphone video was presented showing lined-up suitcases allegedly delivered to Romualdez on November 21, 2023.

The video was captured by George Villalon Jr., one of the so-called “Maleta Boys,” who is a former Marine and former bodyguard of fugitive ex-congressman Elizaldy Co. He was called to the witness stand to testify for the prosecution.

According to Villalon, the man in the black shirt seen in the video counting the suitcases was one of the former Speaker’s personnel. Meanwhile, he identified the man in the blue polo as John Paul Estrada, a former staff member of Co.

Villalon explained that he recorded the video of the suitcases, believed to be filled with cash, to send to his wife, who had missed-called him several times.

Screenshots of Villalon’s conversation with his wife were displayed on screen at the Sandiganbayan, showing that upon sending the video, he texted: “Puro pera laman niyan, deliver kay rumualdez (It’s all filled with money, delivered to rumualdez).”

His wife replied, “Akin na ang isa para magkapera man lang (Give me one so we can at least have some money).”

Villalon said he knew the suitcases contained cash after he assisted Estrada when a zipper on one of the suitcases broke.

Based on Villalon’s statement, he lost the cellphone he had used to record the video, but he was able to save the file on his laptop and copy it onto a flash drive to support Orly Guteza.

Guteza was also among the individuals who identified themselves as former bodyguards of Co. He previously testified before the Senate, but eventually retracted his statement, claiming he was merely coerced into accusing Romualdez on the orders of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former senator Mike Defensor.

Aside from Villalon, Johnny Buduan also took the witness stand during the former Speaker’s first bail hearing. He is likewise a former Marine and former bodyguard of Co who was involved in the delivery of the suitcases.

Buduan said he knew the suitcases contained money because he helped Estrada transfer cash amounting to P30 million into a piece of luggage.

He further claimed that 14 of the suitcases were loaded into a Super Grandia Elite, while the rest were placed inside a black Innova.

In Pulido’s report, Buduan said that, based on a group chat of Co’s bodyguards, money deliveries to Romualdez’s house occurred two to three times a week.

During cross-examination, Romualdez’s lawyers pressed the witnesses into admitting that they did not personally or directly hand over the suitcases to the former Speaker, nor did they see him at the property where the delivery was made.

For his first bail hearing, the court permitted Romualdez to attend via videoconference. Present in person at the Sandiganbayan were at least eight of his defense lawyers. —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News