MANILA — Former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday shot down reports linking him to an alleged property purchase using the Discaya family as a front, with his lawyer stressing he had no knowledge or involvement in the deal and calling the claim “outright baseless.”
“With reference to recent news reports linking former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez to the Discayas through an alleged property purchase, Rep. Romualdez has no knowledge nor involvement in the purported transaction,” said Atty. Ade Fajardo, lawyer and spokesperson of Romualdez.
Fajardo further clarified that the former Speaker has never met the individuals mentioned in the reports.
“Rep. Romualdez has not met the Discayas and has only heard of them based on what is being said in media reports. As such, the claim in the report about using the Discayas as a front in a property purchase is outright baseless,” Fajardo said.
The denial comes ahead of the resumption on January 19 of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry, which Fajardo said makes it crucial to put on record what has already been stated “clearly and unequivocally” under oath. He pointed to sworn testimony given before the House of Representatives in September 2025 by businessman Curlee Discaya, who categorically denied any dealings with Romualdez.
In that testimony, Mr. Discaya stated: “Gusto ko lang pong linawin na wala po akong direktang transaksyon. Hindi po ako nagkaroon ng anumang klaseng transaksyon kay Speaker Martin Romualdez.”
Fajardo explained that Discaya further testified under oath that the Speaker’s name had merely been used or “name-dropped” by others—without any personal knowledge, meeting, or transaction on his part.
“This sworn testimony is part of the official congressional record and directly contradicts the insinuations now being revived in public discourse,” Fajardo said. “Allegations cannot override testimony given under oath. Facts cannot be replaced by speculation.”
He also invoked remarks earlier made by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to underscore the primacy of evidence over hearsay.
“Noise does not convict. Neither does it indict even who may be perceived as the most guilty in the… flood control project saga. Only evidence does,” Lacson was quoted as saying.
Fajardo concluded by stating that the former Speaker welcomes the legal process.
“Rep. Martin Romualdez respects institutional processes and is confident that any fair and evidence-based inquiry will ultimately prove him right,” Fajardo said./PN
