MANILA — Former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Tuesday vowed to face any charges arising from the government’s flood control investigation, insisting on his innocence after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly identified him in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) as among those expected to face cases over the alleged multibillion-peso scandal.
Romualdez broke his silence a day after Marcos disclosed that the Office of the Ombudsman was preparing to file multiple cases against him, saying he would submit himself to the legal process and allow the evidence to determine the outcome.
“Masakit man ito sa aming pamilya, iginagalang ko ang naging pahayag ng Pangulo. Hindi ako kailanman humingi ng pabor o espesyal na pagtrato. Sang-ayon ako na gawin natin ang tama,” Romualdez said.
Despite the allegations, the former Speaker maintained that he had violated no law and expressed confidence that the judicial process would ultimately vindicate him.
“Ang tama ay ang sumunod sa proseso at hayaan ang ebidensya ang magsalita. Naninindigan akong wala akong ginawang anumang labag sa batas. At handa akong patunayan ito,” he added.
In his SONA, Marcos said the impending cases against Romualdez resulted from the administration’s sweeping investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects nationwide.
The President said the probe had already led to the filing of criminal charges and the arrest of contractors, lawmakers, and senior officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Marcos also admitted that pursuing charges against his own cousin was personally painful but stressed that his obligation was to uphold the law and serve the Filipino people over family ties.
He added that authorities had recovered, frozen, or preserved nearly PHP25 billion in funds and assets allegedly linked to the anomaly, with more than PHP800 million already returned to the National Treasury.
Previously charged in connection with the alleged multibillion-peso flood control scandal were Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
The Office of the Ombudsman, however, is seeking to discharge Bonoan as an accused and instead turn him into a state witness in the ongoing proceedings./PN
