Romualdez cites 25 witnesses in flood control investigation reply

Former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has filed his supplemental counter-affidavit before the Ombudsman in response to the ongoing probe against him over his alleged link to the flood control mess.

Lawyer Felix Villa, one of the counsels of Romualdez, confirmed the filing before 3 pm on Thursday.

Romualdez is being investigated by the Ombudsman for plunder, graft, bribery and money laundering in connection with the flood control mess.

Lawyer Ade Fajardo, also one of the lawyers of Romualdez, said in an earlier press conference that the supplemental counter-affidavit includes affidavits of 25 individuals who can dispute the allegations made by the ex-bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co that they delivered cash in suitcases to Romualdez and Co.

These 25 individuals include Orly Guteza, who is the arguably the most known among Romualdez’s accusers since he made the allegation before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

“Hindi sila (25) involved kasi walang ngang ganoong delivery. Some of them [25] were named [by the ex-bodyguards] as driver's companions [during the delivery]. Pero sila mismo, dinedeny nila,” Fajardo told reporters ahead of the filing of the counter-affidavit.

(These 25 are not involved in the delivery because there is no such delivery to begin with. Some of them were mentioned by the ex-bodyguards as companions during the delivery. But they denied this.)

Fajardo said the 25 were employees and aides of Co.=

“Ano na ngayon ‘yung credibility nung isang statement, halimbawa nung remaining Marines, na [nagsabi na] kasama namin si ganitong driver X and Y sa ganitong delivery, when X and Y actually said na hindi nangyari ‘yun,” Fajardo added.

(What is the credibility of these remaining ex-Marines (bodyguards) who said they delivered the cash with driver X and Y when X and Y said no such thing happened.)

Likewise, Fajardo said that some of those 25 individuals were offered to join the group of 18 ex-bodyguards in exchange of a “financial reward.”

“Hindi lahat, pero many of them. A substantial number said that they were explicitly, exclusively offered financial reward to join the group [of 18 ex-bodyguards],” Fajardo said.

Pressed to name who offered money to these people to join the 18 ex-bodyguards who are the accusers of Romualdez, Fajardo just said it was stated in the supplemental counter affidavit.

Ahead of Guteza’s recantation, at least three ex-bodyguards of Co who submitted their affidavit to the Ombudsman as witnesses against Romualdez also recanted their accusations against the former Speaker.