Palace Asked about Possibility of Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez Becoming A State Witness
MARTIN ROMUALDEZ – Malacañang spoke on the possibility of the former House Speaker getting admitted as a state witness in the flood control issue.
Presidential cousin and Leyte Congressman Romualdez is one of the government officials accused of flood control corruption. The supposed flood control scam left countless Filipinos disappointed and calling on the government to end corruption.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was first accused of alleged flood control corruption by the Discayas. He immediately denied the accusation asserting that he is “self-made”.
According to Romualdez, he does not need and will never allow himself to be corrupted by money that is not his. Not long after the accusation broke out, he stepped down from the House leadership.
The Leyte Congressman claimed that he wants the Independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI to be able to exercise their mandate to investigate freely, fully and without undue influence. The three-member body was created upon the order of his cousin, Pres. Bongbong Marcos, amid the flood control mess.
Recently, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez appeared at the ICI hearing over the flood control issue. It was a closed-door inquiry and Romualdez claimed that he will “help” in the fast resolution of the ICC flood control issue. Amid his appearance at the hearing, Malacañang was asked if he could be admitted as a state witness.
Based on a post of News5 on social media, during a press conference, Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro clarified that it depends on the Department of Justice if it will admit Romualdez as a state witness.
“Depende na po rin ‘yan sa Department of Justice kung siya ba ay maituturing na isang state witness,” Castro said.
Furthermore, based on the post, the Palace official stressed that it will depend on what will happen next. As of now, she claimed that it is still yet to be said.
“Lahat po ‘yan ay depende sa lahat ng mangyayari. So, hindi pa po natin masasabi kung siya ay pupuwedeng maging state witness o hindi,” the Malacañang press official said.
Previously, the camp of then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez pointed out that Mr. Discaya himself claimed that he did not have a direct transaction with him.