Statement of Marcos Jr. on Flood Control Accusations vs. Ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez, Zaldy Co
MARCOS JR. – The President confirmed that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co may face flood control charges.
The supposed multi-billion flood control corruption in the Philippines left countless Filipinos disappointed. Amid the issue, both the Senate and the House of Representatives had a change of leadership. Leyte Congressman Martin Romualdez resigned from being the House Speaker after he was accused of alleged flood control corruption.
According to the former House Speaker, he stepped down so the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the body that was formed upon the order of Pres. Bongbong Marcos for the flood control investigation, can do their mandate without undue influence. The ICI is a three-member body led by former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr.
Marcos Jr. previously assured that former Speaker Martin Romualdez and his allies will not be spared from the flood control probe. He ordered the agencies to ensure solid cases against those who are involved in the issue to ensure their conviction.
The ICI already recommended the filing of charges against senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva and Zaldy Co to the Ombudsman. Co has yet to return to the Philippines and face the accusations against him but he recently tagged the President and the former House Speaker in the corruption issue in the country.
Amid the accusations of corruption hurled against him by the resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Representative, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through a video message posted on social media, said that the ICI and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would refer the information that they have about former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co to the Ombudsman.
“Nais kong [ipaalam] sa ating mga kababayan na ang ICI at tsaka ang DPWH ay lahat ng nakuha nila na impormasyon ay i-rerefer, ibibigay na sa Ombudsman para imbestigahan ng Ombudsman. Ito ay tungkol sa mga impormasyon ng Dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at tsaka ni Zaldy Co,” the President said.
According Marcos Jr., criminal charges of plunder and indirect bribery may be filed against Romualdez and Co over the supposed flood control anomalies. Based on the post, the President is confident that Ombudsman Boying Remulla will follow where the evidence leads.
“Kapag nakita ang lahat ng ebidensya, baka mag-file ng kasong plunder, o anti-graft, o indirect bribery. Malakas naman ang loob natin na yung ombudsman, ang ginagawa lamang ay sumusunod sa ebidensya. At kung saan tayo dinadala ng ebidensya, doon pupunta ang ating imbestigasyon,” he said,