The camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss complaints of plunder, graft, bribery and money laundering filed against him in connection with alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
Romualdez’s lawyer, Atty. Ade Fajardo, said there was no credible witness linking the former speaker to the controversy.
Fajardo also said 32 former staff members of former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, including Orly Guteza, had withdrawn their previous allegations against Romualdez.
He added that former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan also did not identify Romualdez as being involved in the alleged flood control scam.
The Ombudsman, however, said it has 28 witnesses with direct and significant information concerning the transactions under investigation involving Romualdez.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said previous testimony does not automatically lose its value simply because a witness later recants.
The Ombudsman will examine both the witnesses’ original statements and their subsequent recantations, according to Clavano.
The agency will also consider the reasons behind the withdrawals of testimony, including reports that some witnesses were allegedly paid in exchange for recanting their statements.
The competing claims come as the Ombudsman continues examining the allegations and transactions linked to the flood control projects.
Romualdez’s camp is seeking the dismissal of the complaints, while the Ombudsman maintains that it will assess the available testimonies, including both the original statements and the recantations, as part of its investigation.
