Garin Speaks on the Efforts of then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez To Reach Out to Zaldy Co
MARTIN ROMUALDEZ – The former House Speaker tried to reach out to Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co on returning to the Philippines as per House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin.
Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez resigned from his position as the House Speaker amid the accusations linking him to the flood control mess. It was during the Senate flood probe when the then-House Speaker’s name was dragged into the issue.
Controversial contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and his wife, Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, claimed in their joint affidavit that there are officials of the government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who allegedly receive kickback from the flood control projects awarded to their companies. Sarah Discaya previously admitted during a Senate hearing that she owns 9 construction companies.
In their joint affidavit, the Discayas claimed that then-House Speaker Romualdez and Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co allegedly receive a 30% kickback from the government flood control deals. Co was already in the United States for a medical treatment when the issue broke.
Then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez denied the allegation of the Discayas that linked him to flood control corruption. He stressed that he is “self-made” and he does not need to be corrupted by money that aren’t his.
Despite some House members’ claim that “there’s no change of leadership” as they support Romualdez, the presidential cousin and Leyte Representative stepped down from his position. According to him, he resigned so the Independent Commission on Infrastructure can freely and fully exercise their mandate to investigate the flood control mess.
Amid the issue, Zaldy Co has yet to return to the Philippines although he also denied the allegations that linked him to the flood control corruption in the country. Based on a report on GMA News, House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin claimed that Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, when he was still the House Speaker, had allegedly tried to reach out to Co over his return to the Philippines.
“Alam namin noon, noong 19th Congress, lipad nang lipad siya sa Singapore for some diagnostic tools or some workup. So hindi ako privy doon sa specifics. But what I am definitely sure is the fact that the Speaker was trying to reach out to him to request him and to allow him to mention a timetable kung kailan siya makakauwi,” Garin claimed.
Furthermore, based on the report, the House Deputy Speaker also claimed that Zaldy Co was given by then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez either one or two weeks to return the Philippines but it did not happen. According to her, the then-Speaker also expected that the Ako Bicol Partylist Representative will arrive during the House Infrastructure Committee hearing.
“During the [House Infrastructure Committee hearing], yun din ang nasabi ni Speaker na parating na si Zaldy, at least maliliwanagan yung mga katanungan. Unfortunately, hindi dumating yung araw na yan,” the House Deputy Speaker said.
Amid the accusations against him, the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez insisted that it was Discaya himself who claimed that he had no direct transactions with Romualdez.