MANILA — Former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez accused Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla of being “extremely prejudiced” against him as he strongly denied allegations that he engineered the recantations of former Marines who had linked him and other prominent figures to the flood control controversy.
Romualdez pushed back against Remulla’s claim that he was behind the decision of members of the so-called “Maleta boys” to withdraw their previous statements, calling the allegation baseless.
“The Ombudsman’s accusation that I am behind the recantations of the former Marines is absolutely not true,” Romualdez said in a statement.
“This shows how extremely prejudiced he is against me,” he added. “Hindi ganito ang patas na paghahanap ng katotohanan.”
The controversy took another turn after four members of the “Maleta boys” formally withdrew their earlier statements linking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Romualdez, former Ako Bicol party-list congressman Zaldy Co and other individuals to alleged bribery and cash deliveries.
The retractions raised questions over the allegations that had placed Romualdez among the personalities publicly linked to alleged irregularities surrounding flood control projects.
Romualdez maintained that the withdrawals instead supported his consistent denial of involvement in the alleged scheme.
“The recantations prove what I had been saying all along that the accusations against me are false and trumped up,” he said.
The Leyte lawmaker also vowed to confront any formal complaint that may eventually be filed against him, stressing that he would rely on evidence and facts to clear his name.
“I will not be intimidated,” Romualdez said. “I will face every accusation against me, defend myself with the facts, the evidence, and the truth.”
Romualdez has been publicly implicated in allegations involving irregularities in flood control projects, but no case in connection with the accusations has been filed against him before a court./PN
