CA ordered freeze on Romualdez's assets, Ombudsman Remulla says

The Court of Appeals has issued a freeze order on the assets of former Speaker and incumbent Leyte representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Saturday.

"Si former Speaker Martin Romualdez, na-freeze na 'yung kaniyang…, may freeze order na. From Court of Appeals kasi doon talaga dinadala ang freeze orders ng AMLC. Diyan talaga pinakukuha ng court order," Remulla said in his radio program, as reported by Darlene Cay of GMA News.

(A freeze order has already been issued against former Speaker Martin Romualdez... from the Court of Appeals. That's where freeze orders from ALMC are brought, and that's where court orders are obtained.)

Remulla was referring to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which reported Friday that it has secured a freeze order on the assets of a "prominent incumbent legislator" allegedly involved in the flood control corruption scandal.

The AMLC did not name the legislator, nor the business associate and a corporate entity which were also "found to have been involved in the flood control project anomalies." All three parties are subjects of the freeze order.

The anti-dirty money body had said the latest freeze order covers 25 bank accounts and 10 insurance policies "registered under the name of the said legislator."

According to Remulla, additional cases are being arranged, but he did not divulge the details.

“Actually, isang kaso pa lang 'yan. Pero we have around five to six cases lined up. Sunod-sunod siya i-file within the next two weeks,” he said.

(Actually, that's just one case. But we have around five to six cases lined up. They will be filed one after the other within the next two weeks.)

Remulla said the case is currently under preliminary investigation and that due process will be observed.

“Ang kalaban namin dito, akusado sa pagnanakaw sa gobyerno. Ito, tiga gobyerno ito. Ito, maraming pera, may kapangyarihan. Hindi ho madali labanan ito,” he said.

(Our opponent here is accused of stealing from the government. This individual is a government official with significant wealth and power. Fighting him will not be easy.)

GMA News Online has requested comment from Romualdez's office and the AMLC, but these have yet to respond as of posting time.

According to the AMLC, assets also covered by the latest freeze order include 27 bank accounts, 10 insurance policies, and one investment account "under the name of the legislator's alleged business associate" as well as two bank accounts, seven property accounts, and one real estate property registered "under the name of the corporate entity."

The AMLC said the Court of Appeals found probable cause to link their assets to plunder under Republic Act (RA) 7659, to Direct and Indirect Bribery under the Revised Penal Code, and to violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019.

Stop the probe

Romualdez has already asked the Ombudsman to stop its investigation against him over alleged violation of due process, arguing that he was already prejudged in the matter.

In a letter sent by his lawyers to the Ombudsman, Romualdez's camp said Remulla and Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano already tagged the former Speaker as a master plunderer in connection with alleged anomalous flood control projects, when there is no criminal case filed against him yet. 

Romualdez's camp earlier said it would question the issuance of a precautionary hold departure order against him over charges in relation to the flood control controversy.

Responding to Romualdez's camp's request to inhibit itself from conducting any preliminary investigation over alleged violation of due process, as well as its comment that the former Speaker has been "prejudged," Remulla on Saturday said the Ombudsman cannot inhibit on corruption cases because of their constitutional duty.

“Ang inhibition goes down to the fairness of the judicial process. Prosecutors are supposed to side with the victims of crimes. Ngayon, ano ba ang Office of the Ombudsman? Ang origin namin sa Pilipinas, Tanodbayan. Kami ang bantay ng bayan para 'yung corruption ay bantayan, 'yung pang-aabuso ng kapangyarihan ay maawat natin, matigil natin, at maparusahan," he said.

(Now, what is the Office of the Ombudsman? Our origin is in the Philippines, it's called the 'Tanodbayan.' We are the watchdog of the people so that corruption can be monitored, and that abuse of power can be stopped, halted, and punished.)

"Paano natin mapaparusahan 'yan kung mag-i-inhibit ka? Duty mo 'yan eh. 'Yan ay katungkulan po namin sa Saligang Batas,” he added.

(How can we punish if we will inhibit? This is our duty. That is our mandate under the Constitution.)

“No such thing as inhibition. Sabi ko sa abogadong nagsasabi niyan, baka absent ka noong tinuturo 'yan. Go back to law school,” Remulla said.

(No such thing as inhibition. I told the lawyer who said that, maybe you were absent when that was taught.) — VDV/KG, GMA News