P48 Million Per Bag? Staff Testifies Against Romualdez, Zaldy Co in Senate Probe
ROMUALDEZ – A Senate hearing on anomalous flood control projects turned explosive after a staff member claimed he delivered suitcases containing millions of pesos to House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Zaldy Co.
Explosive testimony surfaced during the Senate’s sixth hearing on anomalous flood control projects, alleging that huge sums of money were delivered in suitcases to the residences of House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
According to Orly Guteza, security consultant to Co, he was instructed multiple times to bring what was referred to as “basura,” or suitcases filled with cash, to the lawmakers. Each suitcase, Guteza claimed, contained around P48 million.
“Higit kumulang tatlong beses ako mismo ang nagdeliver ng basura sa bahay ni Congressman Zaldy Co sa Horizon Residences at sa bahay ni Speaker Romualdez sa 42 McKinley Street, Taguig,” Guteza stated in his sworn affidavit presented before the Senate panel.
The deliveries, Guteza added, were not isolated events. “Mas maraming pagkakataon na nagdedeliver kami ng basura sa bahay ni Speaker Romualdez at sa bahay ni Congressman Zaldy Co dahil iba-iba kaming mga detailed na close-in, back up, at advanced party na nagkaroon ng donation,” he said, implying that several staff members took turns in carrying out the deliveries.
The allegations come at a sensitive time for Romualdez, who earlier this month resigned as House Speaker. His resignation was framed as a move to give the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) full freedom to pursue its investigations “without doubt, without interference, without undue influence.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Zaldy Co, a former chair of the House appropriations committee, has been in the United States reportedly for medical treatment since the controversy broke out. However, the new Speaker, Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy III, has already revoked Co’s travel clearance and ordered him to return to the country.
The Senate probe into corruption allegations surrounding flood control projects continues to intensify, with lawmakers and the public alike demanding accountability. As hearings progress, the testimonies of staff members like Guteza could prove pivotal in determining whether these claims of multi-million peso cash deliveries will stand in court or remain as unproven allegations.
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