Ombudsman Boying Remulla Speaks on Former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero, Ex-House Speaker Martin Romualdez
CHIZ ESCUDERO, MARTIN ROMUALDEZ – The Ombudsman confirmed that plunder charges are being prepared versus the former Senate President and former House Speaker over the budget insertion mess.
Several senators and members of the House of Representatives were tagged in the flood control mess. The leaderships of both chamber were even implicated in the alleged flood control corruption and they stepped down amid the issue.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez who is accused of buying a house and lot under the names of the Discayas, the controversial contractors who are allegedly involved in the flood control mess, stepped down from his position. According to him, he wants the independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI to be able to fully exercise its mandate to investigate.
The ICI was created under the order of Pres. Bongbong Marcos. Amid the flood control mess, the President ordered a creation of a commission that will investigate the infrastructure projects of the government.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez is one of the government officials who appeared before the ICI. He denied the flood control accusations against him. Former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero also appeared before the commission.
Former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero stepped down from the Senate leadership after he admitted that he received a P30-million donation from a contractor flagged by Pres. Bongbong Marcos. A former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also accused him of alleged budget insertion.
Sen. Chiz Escudero who is now a member of the Senate minority bloc denied the allegations against him. He even pointed to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez as allegedly the one behind the flood control accusations against the senators.
However, based on a report on ABS-CBN News, both former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero are seemingly about to face plunder charges soon. Based on News5, Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that they are now preparing the plunder charges over alleged “conspiracy” between the former House Speaker and the former Senate President.
“We are just tying up many things that have to be there for us to make a case out of it. The former Senate president and the former speaker will be subjected to a case of plunder very soon,” Remulla said.
According to the Ombudsman, the buildup of the plunder cases can go back as early as during the time of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. Based on the report, he claimed that many people will get involved in the investigation.
“If you think about it, there was a conspiracy to commit plunder. I think we can put everything together. Kayo mismo can put everything together. It doesn’t take a genius to do it,” the Ombudsman added.
Previously, former House member Zaldy Co who is allegedly one of the main role players in the flood control mess claimed that Sen. Chiz Escudero is allegedly behind the budget cuts in the proposed funds of the Department of Education (DepEd), PhilHealth, and Department of Agriculture (DA).