Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday accused the camp of Tacloban Rep. Martin Romualdez of being behind the decision of four of the 18 so-called “maleta boys” to retract their testimonies in the investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
“It is former Speaker Romualdez. Siyempre, siyempre, sino pa ba ang makikinabang pag nagrecant ‘yan,” Remulla said at a press conference.
Remulla said the four may face possible charges as “accessories after the fact” following their recantation.
The four, who identified themselves as former bodyguards of dismissed congressman Zaldy Co, had earlier alleged that they delivered suitcases containing money to Romualdez. They later withdrew their statements.
Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman had individually reviewed the affidavits of all 18 witnesses and conducted site visits to locations where the alleged deliveries of money reportedly took place.
Romualdez, however, denied the accusation and said his camp had no involvement in the recantations.
“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. Hindi ganito ang patas na paghahanap ng katotohanan,” he added.
Romualdez said the recantations support his earlier position that the accusations against him were “false and trumped up.”
“I will not be intimidated. I will face every accusation against me, defend myself with the facts, the evidence, and the truth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Remulla said former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan will remain a government witness in the flood control cases despite the Sandiganbayan’s rejection of prosecutors’ request to remove him as a co-respondent in the charges involving Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
Remulla said the Ombudsman will seek reconsideration of the Sandiganbayan ruling as it continues efforts to have Bonoan excluded as an accused.
“He will be a witness; we are not frustrated. It is something the court may not grant to us immediately,” Remulla said.
“He will cooperate with the government. We still want him to give special status kase nga he is a cooperating witness,” he added.
The Sandiganbayan Second Division earlier denied the prosecution’s motion to drop Bonoan from the graft case involving Estrada, which arose from alleged PHP213 million in kickbacks linked to an alleged PHP855-million flood control project in Bulacan.
In its 12-page resolution dated Aug. 3, the court said removing Bonoan as an accused could prejudice Estrada, who had already been arraigned. Bonoan’s arraignment had been deferred because of health concerns.
The court, however, said prosecutors could still present Bonoan as a witness.
Prosecutors alleged that Estrada and Bonoan helped ensure that the projects were included in the 2025 national budget and that contracts were awarded to selected contractors, allegedly providing them with unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference.
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