Romualdez seeks bail in plunder case

MANILA, Philippines — Former House speaker Martin Romualdez has sought bail in his P7.4-billion plunder case involving alleged kickbacks in flood control projects, arguing that the prosecution cannot show strong evidence of his guilt.

In his 60-page petition for bail, Romualdez said the Office of the Ombudsman’s resolution indicting him was based on a chain of speculations rather than direct proof of his involvement in the kickback scheme.

He said there was no proof that he personally demanded or collected kickbacks. The allegation that he received suitcases of cash from his co-accused former lawmaker and now fugitive Zaldy Co is not based on accounts that state that a witness saw him receive a suitcase.

He also said Co’s own acts and declarations could not be used to support the claim of conspiracy and his involvement since there is no other evidence outside of such claims. 
Co’s actions and those of the contractors, Department of Public Works and Highways officials and security aides involved in the delivery of cash-filled suitcases, Romualdez contended, could be weighed but do not ultimately show his participation. 

He said the delivery evidence may show that luggage was transported, but these do not support the allegation that he received them.

Romualdez also pointed out the recantations of the witnesses who spoke about the alleged cash deliveries to his residence, pointing out that such recantations create a “material conflict in the evidence, bearing on credibility and on evidentiary weight.”

He being the speaker and participating in the budget process does not prove that he used his office for a criminal purpose. 

Romualdez also said alleged discrepancies in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) do not prove that he received and concealed proceeds from the alleged kickbacks, arguing there is no proof connecting him to the alleged conspiracy. 

Romualdez further argued that the P50-million threshold to support a plunder charge was not established as the ombudsman only used an aggregate of assigned and estimated amounts and a separate, percentage-based estimate of alleged collections, but none of these had been traced to him.

In seeking bail, Romualdez also said he is not a flight risk, pointing out that he participated in the proceedings before the ombudsman and the court and even in the investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.