OMBUDSMAN Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed on Friday that the camp of Tacloban Representative Martin Romualdez orchestrated the recantation of four witnesses in the ongoing investigation into controversial flood control projects.
The witnesses, part of the group dubbed the “maleta boys,” previously identified themselves as former bodyguards of dismissed congressman Zaldy Co.
They had initially alleged delivering suitcases filled with money directly to Romualdez before retracting their statements.
Remulla pointed to the former House Speaker as the primary beneficiary of the retractions, questioning who else stood to gain from the witnesses changing their stories.
The Ombudsman noted that his office had individually vetted the affidavits of all 18 individuals involved and conducted on-site visits to inspect the locations where the cash transfers allegedly took place.
Following their retractions, Remulla warned that the four individuals could now face prosecution as accessories after the fact.
Romualdez strongly denied the allegations, dismissing the Ombudsman’s statements as unfounded and biased.
In an official statement, Romualdez argued that the recantations simply reinforced his long-standing position that the accusations against him were fabricated.
He accused the Ombudsman of showing extreme prejudice and insisted that the investigation was not being conducted fairly, vowing to defend himself using facts and evidence rather than giving in to intimidation.
In a separate development regarding the flood control cases, Remulla clarified the status of former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
Despite the Sandiganbayan rejecting a prosecution motion to drop Bonoan as a co-respondent alongside Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Remulla affirmed that the government still intends to utilize Bonoan as a cooperating witness.
The anti-graft court’s Second Division had denied the motion on August 3, ruling that excluding Bonoan at this stage would prejudice Estrada, who had already been arraigned.
The charges stem from an alleged ₱213-million kickback scheme linked to an ₱855-million flood control project in Bulacan.
Remulla confirmed the prosecution will file a motion for reconsideration, maintaining that Bonoan’s cooperation remains vital to the case.
