Romualdez to face 2nd money launder case

MANILA, Philippines — Leyte Rep. and former House speaker Martin Romualdez could soon face another criminal complaint related to the flood control scandal, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed on Saturday.

“A second money laundering case against Martin Romualdez is being prepared, it will be soon,” Remulla said during his “Executive Session” program on radio dzRH.

The Court of Appeals previously issued freeze orders against several bank accounts and insurance policies linked to Romualdez, while the Sandiganbayan released a hold departure order.

Remulla added the ombudsman has prepared a “first draft complaint with 61 pages” that contained accusations of conspiracy to commit plunder involving “both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”

Presently, the Ombudsman is carrying out “35 to 45 investigations” into the anomalies in flood control projects, according to Remulla.

He noted the partial report of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that the agency recently received has become “very useful to us because it will supplement our efforts in investigating those who profited and took part” in the multibillion-peso scandal.

The report recommended charges against Romualdez and Senators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, former congressman and fugitive Zaldy Co and other government officials, according to earlier reports.

However, Remulla said the ombudsman would “need to validate” the Senate report and the transcripts that came with it as part of their fact-finding and case buildup work.

He also hinted at his agency filing more complaints by September this year.