MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman will use the testimonies of eight of the 18 self-proclaimed bagmen of former congressman Zaldy Co in a case being prepared against former speaker Martin Romualdez, after finding their accounts of alleged cash deliveries “consistent and categorical.”
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said investigators arrived at the decision after interviewing Co’s former bodyguards and observing their body language and demeanor.
“The investigators seem to find those narrational facts as they relate to the money being delivered to the former speaker and to Zaldy Co categorical and consistent. They are of the opinion that we can use it,” he said at a press conference.
The ombudsman has been interviewing the 18 former bodyguards of Co, but Clavano said only the testimonies of eight of them could be worth considering.
“The others were broad statements, descriptions that were made in broad strokes,” he said.
He lamented that their investigation and case buildup are getting delayed as the former bodyguards’ lawyer Levito Baligod has yet to make them sign their affidavits.
He said the affidavits were supposed to be signed as early as June 20 but they asked for an extension for a week.
“He (Baligod) seems to be delaying the signatures of the 18 Marines. That’s one of the things that is delaying the case also against the former speaker,” Clavano said.
No evidence?
In tapping former public works chief Manuel Bonoan, meanwhile, as a state witness, the ombudsman may have admitted that there is no evidence linking Romualdez to anomalous flood control projects, his lawyers said yesterday.
Defense lawyers Ade Fajardo and Elaine Atienza said the admission of Bonoan to the Witness Protection Program may have made a “scapegoat” of Romualdez and paved the way for his being branded as “mastermind.”
“Rep. Romualdez is being portrayed as the convenient excuse and political scapegoat despite the absence of evidence linking him to the alleged anomalous projects. At the end of the day, justice demands only one standard,” Atienza said.
She said that in past hearings of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the flood control issue, no incumbent or former public works official had ever identified Romualdez as having participated in the planning, procurement, implementation, inspection, payment, or release of funds for any alleged ghost project.
“In seeking justice, evidence must come first before baseless accusations. Under the law, it is the evidence that directly points to the culprits. If one has committed a violation of the law, then let’s hold him accountable, but let’s not resort to legal shortcuts,” she said.
She stressed that even Bonoan had never implicated the Leyte lawmaker in the controversy. “It’s very plain and simple – it’s because Rep. Romualdez was not involved,” Atienza said.
She said the allegations against the former speaker did not factor in the budget process. “The issue traces back to the national budget process. In that process – no single person – not even the speaker of the House – can control.”
“If there were irregularities in any infrastructure project, then those who actually exercised legal and operational authority should be identified and held accountable. Accountability must follow the evidence – not political convenience,” Atienza said.
Fajardo, for his part, argued that to insist Romualdez was the “mastermind” in the flood control scam would require making the public believe that one person controlled every stage of the process – from budget preparation to project implementation and fund release.
He called Bonoan the “most polluted,” “very biased” and “not the least guilty” among those tagged in the flood control scandal.
He said the former cabinet member should be made to return the P1 billion in kickbacks that he reportedly amassed as claimed by a subordinate, former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo. Bernardo has also been named state witness.
He said he finds it disturbing that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla would want to use Bonoan’s testimony to pin down Romualdez.
“It’s really very alarming, because even way before these events, the name of congressman Martin Romualdez has never been mentioned by secretary Bonoan,” Fajardo said.