Jamaine Punzalan

(L-R) Ret. Gen. Virgilio Garcia, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, Atty. Ferdie Topacio, senatorial aspirant Jimmy Bondoc, and Citizens Crime Watch’s Diego Magpantay filed criminal and graft complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman on February 10, 2025, against House Speaker Martin Romualdez, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, former appropriations chair Rep. Zaldy Co, and acting chair Rep. Stella Quimbo for alleged illegal P241 billion budget insertions. The complainants claim the budget signed by President Marcos contained blank sections, with insertions made post-bicam ratification. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

GRAFT COMPLAINT VS ROMUALDEZ

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174003759686320250210-corruption-case-romualdez-ombudsman-MT04.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">(L-R) Ret. Gen. Virgilio Garcia, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, Atty. Ferdie Topacio, senatorial aspirant Jimmy Bondoc, and Citizens Crime Watch’s Diego Magpantay filed criminal and graft complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman on February 10, 2025, against House Speaker Martin Romualdez, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, former appropriations chair Rep. Zaldy Co, and acting chair Rep. Stella Quimbo for alleged illegal P241 billion budget insertions. The complainants claim the budget signed by President Marcos contained blank sections, with insertions made post-bicam ratification. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br id="isPasted"/></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — A motion asking the Office of the Ombudsman to suspend House Speaker Martin Romualdez and other lawmakers due to questions over the 2025 budget is a “political retaliation” for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe said Thursday.  </p><p>“The request for the Ombudsman to order the preventive suspension of House leaders is a blatant political maneuver aimed at disrupting the work of Congress. It is no coincidence that this comes at a time when discussions on the impeachment have gained traction,” Dalipe said.</p><p>Davao del Norte First District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez and other complainants sought the preventive suspension of Romualdez, Dalipe, House Committee on Appropriations acting chairperson Stella Quimbo, and the panel’s former head Elizaldy Co in relation to a graft complaint over alleged “insertions” in the enrolled bill on the 2025 national budget.</p><p>The complaint cited the respondents’ “power” and “influence” at the House of Representatives, which could supposedly be used to “suborn witnesses, tamper with evidence, and perjure testimony to escape penalty”.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/19/preventive-suspension-of-romualdez-others-sought-amid-graft-rap-over-2025-budget-1355Preventive suspension of Romualdez, others sought amid graft rap over 2025 budget">Preventive suspension of Romualdez, others sought amid graft rap over 2025 budget</a></div><p>But Dalipe said the complaint was being used as “a diversionary tactic to shift public attention away from the real issue—the impeachment case against the Vice President and the accountability questions she must answer.”</p><p>“This is a desperate attempt to weaponize the Ombudsman for political retaliation because the House remains steadfast in upholding transparency and accountability, regardless of political affiliations,” he added.</p><p>“Malinaw ang taktika nila: mag-file ng mga kaso para may balitang pantakip sa mga isyung hinaharap ng mga Duterte. Kahit walang kuwentang kaso, isasampa sa korte para ilihis ang isyu at palabasin na masama ang mga House Members na nag-impeach sa Vice President,” Dalipe said.</p><p>He also believes the complaint seeks to discredit the House leaders.</p><p>“The timing of this complaint is telling—it is meant to pressure the House and create a false narrative that undermines the integrity of its leadership. However, we will not be intimidated by these tactics. The House remains focused on serving the Filipino people, ensuring government funds are used properly, and holding public officials accountable—regardless of political connections,” Dalipe said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/19/sara-duterte-challenges-her-impeachment-at-supreme-court-1053">Sara Duterte seeks to block her impeachment trial</a></div><p>Alvarez, an ally of the Dutertes, filed the complaint last February 10, alleging that P241 billion was “inserted” in the 2025 enrolled General Appropriations Bill (GAB).</p><p>Quimbo and Senate President Francis Escudero had explained that the ratified bicameral conference committee report contained an omnibus motion, which stated that if there were changes between the report and the printed copy, the latter would prevail. Quimbo said the value for the blanks in the report were already determined by the bicameral conference committee and were part of existing documents.</p><p>“Let’s be clear: the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is a product of rigorous, transparent, and lawful deliberations. The allegations of ‘insertions’ are misleading and baseless, designed to discredit Speaker Romualdez and the House leadership for purely political ends. If there are genuine concerns, they should be addressed within the proper legislative processes, not through political harassment,” Dalipe said.</p><p>“We trust that the Ombudsman will not allow itself to be used as a tool for political games and will dismiss this baseless request for preventive suspension,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/30/marcos-asserts-can-t-find-those-damned-blank-items-in-2025-budget-1140">Marcos asserts &#x27;can&#x27;t find those damned blank items&#x27; in 2025 budget</a></div>

<p>A motion asking the Office of the Ombudsman to suspend House Speaker Martin Romualdez and other lawmakers due to questions over the 2025 budget is a “political retaliation” for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe said Thursday.</p>

A motion asking the Office of the Ombudsman to suspend House Speaker Martin Romualdez and other lawmakers due to questions over the 2025 budget is a “political retaliation” for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe said Thursday.

Bid for suspension of House leaders is ‘retaliation’ for Sara Duterte impeachment, says majority leader

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Bid for suspension of House leaders is ‘retaliation’ for Sara Duterte impeachment, says majority leader

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 20, 2025 03:49 PM PHT

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