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This photo released on June 4, 2026 shows former House Speaker and incumbent Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (center) with his constituents in Tolosa, Leyte. (Courtesy: Office of Rep. Martin Romualdez)
Former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is ready to face any complaint the Office of the Ombudsman may file against him in connection with the flood control scam, his legal counsel, Ade Fajardo, said Sunday.
Fajardo maintained there is no evidence against his client.
“Former Speaker Romualdez is prepared to face the process. However, there is absolutely no proof or evidence linking him to the flood-control anomalies. There is no preliminary investigation yet; the matter is currently in the case build-up stage,” he said.
He said the former House leader had no participation in flood control project funding and implementation.
“It’s actually very simple. If you didn’t participate, you can naturally expect that there wouldn’t be any evidence,” Fajardo said.
Romualdez earlier squarely denied the allegations against him, adding that he will not be a scapegoat in the flood control controversy.
The former Speaker said he had no part in the bicameral conference committee and the small committee budget deliberations, where insertions into the proposed national budget were allegedly made.
Fajardo pointed out that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) had found no liability on the part of Romualdez.
“The ICI itself released in their investigation that they found no liability. That’s the expressed findings of the ICI when the records were brought to the Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.
Fajardo also said the changing testimonies of the so-called former bodyguards of ex-Ako Bicol lawmaker Zaldy Co are not credible.
“How can you possibly trust or believe their account, which keeps changing and shifting? It is even riddled with implausible claims,” the lawyer said.
He reiterated that his principal is ready to answer the allegations once formally required by the Ombudsman.
“The former Speaker is not running away from his responsibility to deal with all this. He voluntarily stepped down as Speaker to allow for the investigation,” Fajardo said.
He said Romualdez has remained in the country and continues to do his job as Leyte 1st district representative.
“He is here. He is busy as the representative of Leyte and, of course, he is not running away. He is willing to face everything if there is evidence,” Fajardo said. — Rio N. Araja
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Credit belongs to: www.manilastandard.net
