Marcos: Romualdez, Zaldy Co may face plunder, indirect bribery raps

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Friday that criminal charges of plunder and indirect bribery could be filed against former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co over anomalies in flood control projects.

In a video message, Marcos said the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would refer the information they are holding against Romualdez and Co to the Office of the Ombudsman for further investigation. 

"Nais kong [ipaalam] sa ating mga kababayan na ang ICI  at tsaka ang DPWH ay lahat ng nakuha nila na impormasyon ay i-rerefer, ibibigay na sa Ombudsman para imbestigahan ng Ombudsman. Ito ay tungkol sa mga impormasyon ng Dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at tsaka ni Zaldy Co," Marcos said in video posted on Facebook. 

(I want to inform our countrymen that the ICI and the DPWH will refer all the information they have obtained it to the Ombudsman for the Ombudsman to investigate... This is about the information of former Speaker Martin Romualdez and also Zaldy Co.)

"Kapag nakita ang lahat ng ebidensya, baka mag-file ng kasong plunder, o anti-graft, o indirect bribery. Malakas naman ang loob natin na yung ombudsman, ang ginagawa lamang ay sumusunod sa ebidensya. At kung saan tayo dinadala ng ebidensya, doon pupunta ang ating imbestigasyon," added Marcos. 

(When all the evidence is seen, we might file a case for plunder, or anti-graft, or indirect bribery. We are confident that the ombudsman, all he does is follow the evidence. And where the evidence takes us, that's where our investigation will go.)

Marcos said he is confident that the Ombudsman's investigation would depend on the pieces of evidence gathered and referred to its office.

''Malakas naman ang loob natin na 'yung Ombudsman ang ginagawa lamang ay sumusunod sa ebidensya, at kung saan tayo dinadala ng ebidensya, doon pupunta ang ating imbestigasyon," the President said.

(We are confident that the Ombudsman will only follow the evidence, and where the evidence takes us, that is where our investigation will go.)

Romualdez earlier denied involvement in securing commissions from flood control projects as alleged by contractor husband and wife Curlee and Sarah Discaya during the Senate inquiry on the flood control mess.

Zaldy Co last week accused Marcos, Romualdez, and some Cabinet members of orchestrating supposed "insertions" worth P100 billion in the national budget.

Marcos has brushed off Co's claim. 

“I don’t want to even dignify what he was saying,” Marcos said. 

Romualdez, meanwhile, said his conscience "remains clear" amid allegations made by Co.

Recommendation

Hours after Marcos made the statement, the ICI and DPWH recommended to the Ombudsman the filing of plunder, graft, and direct bribery charges against Romualdez and Co.

ICI member Rogelio "Babes" Singson and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon went to the Office of the Ombudsman to bring boxes of evidence against the Romualdez and Co.

Dizon said their recommendation covers around P100 billion worth of government contracts that the construction firms Sunwest Corporation and Hi Tone Construction, both firms linked to Co, secured from 2016 to 2025. 

“Hindi namin sasabihing recommended kung wala kaming nakikitang basehan (We won’t recommend these charges without basis),” he said. 

He added their recommendation also gave weight to the sworn testimonies which were also heard during the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee.  

Ombudsman

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday that the Ombudsman will file charges against former Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez in relation with the flood control mess in the next six to nine months

Remulla added that the Ombudsman are looking at other angles but declined to go into detail. He said the Ombudsman has to go and look at the evidence “with a specific violation of the law.”

Remulla then assured that he will never file a lousy case as the country’s anti-graft buster.

“I do not want to find a lousy case. I will never find a lousy case. I’m not that kind of person. I want things to be done properly. I want it to be documented. I want it to be solid. And I want to look the justice as a guy. That way. If you miss out on this case, it’s your problem, not mine. Because that’s the way it should be,” he added.

Earlier this month, Remulla said Romualdez, as then Speaker, may be liable for gross negligence over the actions of Co who is facing criminal complaints over an allegedly anomalous P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. 

Co's camp earlier said they were expecting the filing of criminal charges against the former lawmaker. —VAL, GMA Integrated News