Martin Romualdez prepared to appear before ICI, says staff

Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez will attend the closed-door hearing of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure on alleged anomalous flood control projects, his office said on Wednesday.

The office of the former Speaker issued the statement after the commission announced that it had subpoenaed resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and invited Romualdez and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to a hearing on Tuesday, October 14.

“The Office of Rep. Martin Romualdez confirms receipt today of the invitation from the ICI. Rep. Romualdez welcomes the opportunity to cooperate with the Commission and fully supports its objective of promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance,” the statement said.

“In this regard, Rep. Romualdez is prepared to appear before the Commission,” it added.

Romualdez and Co's names have been mentioned in the congressional hearings on the billions of pesos for flood control projects. Both have denied the allegations against them.

"I cannot and will not allow lies and name-dropping to pass unchecked. The claim in the Discaya couple’s affidavit that my name was used for commissions is false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez denied similar allegations made by Orly Regala Guteza, who identified himself as a former security consultant for the resigned party-list congressman Co.

"If anyone invoked my name, they did so without my knowledge and without my consent. At kung ginawa nila iyon para kumita, sila ang mandaraya at sila ang dapat managot. And I say this with all honesty: I have never, and I will never, accept a bribe from anybody," Romualdez said.

(If certain people do these things to make money, they are swindlers at should be held accountable.) –NB, GMA Integrated News