MANILA — The Senate was rocked on Thursday by explosive testimony alleging that Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez repeatedly received suitcases crammed with tens of millions of pesos in kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.
Orly Guteza, security consultant of Co, told senators he personally delivered the alleged payoffs multiple times. One delivery alone, he claimed, involved 46 suitcases each supposedly stuffed with P48 million — all referred to in their circle as “basura.”
“Higit kumulang tatlong beses ako mismo ang nag-deliver ng basura sa bahay ni Congressman Zaldy Co sa Horizon Residences at sa bahay ni Speaker Romualdez sa 42 McKinley Street, Taguig,” Guteza testified.
“Mas maraming pagkakataon na nagde-deliver kami ng basura sa bahay ni Speaker Romualdez at sa bahay ni Congressman Zaldy Co dahil iba-iba kaming mga detailed na close-in, back up, at advanced party na nagkaroon ng donation,” he added.
Guteza said other security aides and advance party personnel also took turns ferrying the “basura” to the lawmakers’ residences.
Two Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) drivers backed the claims. Andre Balatbat recounted transporting six to eight suitcases to a house in Valle Verde, though he could not confirm who owned it.
“Bale po isang beses lang po ako nakapag-deliver doon,” Balatbat said, adding that no receipts or acknowledgment slips were issued.
Christian Santiago, another DPWH driver, said he was ordered to make seven deliveries at a Phoenix Petroleum station along Dahlia Street in Fairview, each involving eight to 10 suitcases transferred between vehicles.
Former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara testified that each suitcase usually contained P30 million to P40 million, with one instance reaching P50 million. He said the cash came as “advances” from contractors.
The Senate blue ribbon committee is now zeroing in on a suspected kickback network linking DPWH officials and lawmakers, with allegations of ghost projects, substandard works, and contractor collusion deepening the scandal./PN
