Remulla on plunder case vs. Martin Romualdez: He is big fish

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday that government prosecutors have filed a case against a "big fish," with plunder charges against Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez and three others.

“Sa ngayon [siya ang big fish]. At hindi pa naman ito ‘yung huling kaso eh. Sunod-sunod pa ito. At marami pa kaming pa-file-an. Ibang-iba ito,” Remulla said in a press conference.

(He is the big fish for now. This is not the end of cases for him. There will be more, and we will be filing cases against more people. Different cases.)

Ombudsman prosecutors alleged that Romualdez accumulated P7.4 billion worth of kickbacks off government projects from 2022 to 2025 "from contractors, persons and entities with interests in flood control, infrastructure and/or other government projects funded under the General Appropriations Acts for fiscal years 2022 to 2025, which monies were delivered to properties owned by, occupied by, or associated with Romualdez and received by [co-accused Joselyn Tragua] Sereño and other persons acting for and in his behalf."

“Kasi alam naman natin, hindi iba si Martin Romaldez sa akin o sa Presidente o kahit kanino man. Ngunit ito, ito ‘yung aming obligasyon sa bayan na gawin ang tama. Ito lang ang pinatutupad natin dito. Wala ho itong sinisino,” Remulla added.

(Martin is no different from me, the President, or anybody. But it is our obligation to do what is just. That is what we are doing here. There are no sacred cows.)

Romualdez is a former colleague of Remulla in the House of Representatives and a cousin of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.

Likewise, Remulla said that the filing of the plunder case against Romualdez, former House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol party-list, as well as two others are based on strong evidence.

“Wala po itong ginagalang o kaya iniiwasan na pangalanan. Lahat po ito ay base sa ebidensya. Iyon ang mahalaga rito eh. Itong kasong to, talagang nagpapatunay na hindi po kami kumikiling kahit kanino,” he said.

(We are not shying away from anybody. These are all grounded on evidence. This case will prove that we are not protecting anybody.)

“Ang gusto lang namin dito, managot ang dapat managot [What we are after here is accountability],” Remulla added.

In February 2026, a group of 18 men who identified themselves as former security personnel of Co — some of them former Marines—said they delivered suitcases of cash to Marcos, Romualdez, Co and other individuals. Four of them later recanted their statement, including Orly Guteza, who made his accusations against Romualdez, Co and the President before the Senate blue ribbon panel.

Remulla maintained that the recantation does not weaken the Ombudsman’s case against Romualdez and his co-accused.

“We don’t fear recantation. It is just something they used to weaken our case. It was a desperate attempt to cover up for the crime. But our case was not weakened by such recantation Kasi, sa dami ng perang nakulimbat. Wala na paglagayan,” Remulla said.

(A lot of money was stolen. There wasn't anywhere to store that much.)

“It was then used to buy several houses that they don’t need. But they bought it anyway. There’s even a donation for Harvard [University] in the US worth million dollars. That is what we are saying. They cannot hide it. Nagpupumutok na. Kumbaga sa bulsa, hindi na kasya sa bulsa. Lawit na ang nakikitang pera,” Remulla added.

(The money is spilling over. It cannot fit their pockets. The money is already hanging outside the pocket.)

Big fish 2.0

In the same press conference, Remulla said two other "big fish" who are about to face charges are Senator Loren Legarda and her son, Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste, who is under investigation for plunder and graft due to alleged failure of Leviste’s solar firm to provide its obligations under its congressional franchise granted last 2019, also fall under the big fish category.

Legarda and her son are overseas, having left the country for France and Hong Kong, respectively, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Legarda is on an extended medical leave, while Leviste has secured travel authority from the House of Representatives until September 24.

“Loren Legarda is yet to return. Baka naman hindi na, ayaw niya na bumalik. Isa pang big fish yan. Sila ni Leandro Levista. Mag-inang legislator na ngayon ay nagkukumahog at nagtatago sa ibang lugar,” Remulla said.

(Maybe she doesn't want to come back anymore. She's another big fish. She and Leandro Leviste. Mother-and-son legislators who have scrambled to hide somewhere else.)

“Parang ganoon na ang pakiramdam ko. Unless umuwi sila…parang sinasabi ko rito malamang hindi na bumalik ‘yun kasi parang umiiwas sila na pagbayaran ng kanilang mga ginawa,” Remulla added.

(That's my feeling. Unless they do come back...what I'm saying is they probably won't come back because it seems like they're avoiding paying for their actions.)

Remulla said in the same press conference that he has set a trip to France to inform the local authorities there that their country should not be a haven for plunderers and ill-gotten wealth. —AOL/BM, GMA News