Former House member Zaldy Co accused Martin Romualdez, and here’s the latter’s response.
Former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez denied the allegations made by former Ako Bicol Party Rep. Zaldy Co.
Former congressman Zaldy Co named President Bongbong Marcos and Martin Romualdez as the masterminds of the PHP 100 billion insertions in the 2025 budget. According to him, the instructions came from the president himself and alleged that what the president wants, the president gets.
Co released the list of the alleged projects in the insertions, and these were:
- roads and highways construction
- diversion road
- road slope protection structure
- flood mitigation project
- construction of road with drainage system
- cross country road
- construction of access road leading to TPLEX
- viaduct
- flyovers
- bridges
- road rehabilitation
- rehabilitation of road and drainage
- rehabilitation of road network
- asphalt overlay
- cross country road package
- construction of coastal road/shore protection
- bypass road
- construction of riverbank structure, including irrigation system
- construction of revetment
- installation of road safety devices, informative signs and solar lighting
- rehabilitation of DPWH – Quezon City 2nd District Engineering Office Building
- rehabilitation of damaged slope protection and
- improvement of road and drainage system
Malacañang reacted to Co’s allegations, and according to the Palace, his statements only created more questions about the massive corruption in flood control. He was also challenged to return to the Philippines. It also seems impossible as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure was created by the president to investigate the anomalies.
Former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez also reacted to the allegations and stressed that his conscience is clear. Based on his reaction, there are no public officials, contractors, or witnesses that has pointed him to do anything wrong.
His statements were also “not made under oath and do not hold water in the court of law.” He assured that he will cooperate with the ICI and expressed his continued trust in the ICI, the DOJ, and the Ombudsman that they will responsibly do the evaluation with fairness and firmness.
Romualdez said, “I remain ready to cooperate with any lawful process and I am confident that the truth will emerge through the proper institutions.”
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