Remulla: Trails linking Escudero, Romualdez to flood control mess found

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said his office has found a money trail linking Senator Francis “Chiz" Escudero to the flood control mess.

“[Our investigation on him (Escudero) is] ongoing; we have statements of a money trail leading to him, narrations of fact that are there already…but of course, we want to buttress it with other evidence which we're looking at right now,” Remulla said.

“Ano nga eh, pag wala ka makitang AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council) trail, then you have to follow a cash trail, and we will find it,” he added.

(If you cannot find an AMLC trail, you look for a cash trail.)

Former Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo earlier said he delivered "20% of approximately P800 million or about P160 million to Maynard Ngu which was meant for Senator Escudero."

Remulla also said Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez is also liable for, at the very least, gross negligence over the actions of former Appropriations panel chairperson and Ako Bicol party-list Zaldy Co who is facing criminal complaints over an anomalous P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

“As the leader of the House, he was responsible for the appointment of Zaldy Co. Although he was elected on the [plenary] floor, everybody knows that it is the Speaker's choice. That's why we have to hold him accountable for that. It's a novel theory. I know we're crossing the boundary of a normal legal theory,” he said.

“But we have to stretch it a bit because of the damage to the whole government machinery…and the Filipino people suffered damages due to the acts of Zaldy Co. If there's nothing criminal about it, then it's negligence at least. We have to go there. We have to tread that path already. Nothing is excusable here. At the least, negligence should be charged against those who were responsible for their offices,”  Remulla added.

While Romualdez is not a part of the Bicameral Conference Committee that reconciles the House and Senate versions of the proposed national budget, Remulla said the former Speaker cannot be blameless over Co’s actions.

“Leadership principle 'yan eh (That's a leadership principle) . The buck stops with you,” the Ombudsman said.

Orly Guteza, who identified himself as a former security consultant for Co, earlier told before a Senate inquiry that he personally delivered luggage of money to the residences of Co and Romualdez, an accusation that he stated in his affidavit also submitted to the Senate panel.

The signature of the notary public who signed the affidavit, however, turned out to be forged.

Villar Task Force

Remulla also announced the creation of a task force that will probe the government flood control projects that benefited the properties of former senator Manny Villar and his family, including his two children, Senators Mark and Camille Villar.

“We may be putting up a new task force for the River Drive and for the flood control of Las Piñas…Bacoor-Las Piñas area. Kasi andun ‘yung mga lupa na nag-benefit roon eh. The land owners also benefited from that. We have to look at that,” he said.

“We will form a Task Force just for the Villars. The Zapote River drive, together with the Bacoor properties, the boundaries of the rivers, dinaanan ng river (those areas where the rivers are) were improvements made in that area. That's one thing that has to be looked at. Pag taga-roon ka, alam mo kanilang lupa 'yun. Nakita mo 'yung river wall, tanong mo, sino gumastos? Gobyerno o sila? It's as simple as that. So we will determine that later. Sa costing ng project, ano nangyari doon?” Remulla added.

(When you reside there, you know they own the land. You see the river wall? Who paid for that? Is it the government or them? We’ll know that when we look at the cost of the project.)

GMA News Online has reached out to Escudero, Romualdez, and the Villars for comment and will publish them as soon as it is available. 

Escudero and Romualdez earlier denied the allegations against them.

In a statement, Escudero said that he would sue Bernardo for what he described as "malicious allegations and innuendos" made against him. 

"By his own admission, he never had any contact with me directly regarding this matter—and I will prove that he is lying about my alleged involvement," the former Senate president said. 

Romualdez said the accusations against him was "clearly political and the product of coaching."

"The so-called testimony of the witness is an outright and complete fabrication—nothing more than a desperate attempt to link me to supposed kickbacks where none exist. Pilit na pilit," he added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News