Jamaine Punzalan

Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178001720021820250917-house-of-rep-romualdez-steps-down-MT18.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday urged authorities to refrain from “twisting the truth”, as it disputed the Office of the Ombudsman’s remark that he could have had “functional control” over the Committee on Appropriations tagged in flood control anomalies. </p><p>“Linawin po natin: there is no such thing as ‘functional control’ over the budget process,” Romualdez’s spokesperson Elaine Atienza said.</p><p>“Hindi po ginagawa ng iisang tao ang national budget. Hindi ito hawak ng iisang opisina lamang, at lalong hindi ito kayang diktahan o kontrolin ng House Speaker,” she said in a statement. </p><p>She noted that the budget process starts with government agencies’ submission of proposals that are consolidated under the National Expenditure Program submitted to Congress. It is then reviewed separately by the House of Representatives and the Senate, which thresh out differences in the Bicameral Conference Committee, before the final version is sent to the President for approval or line-item veto. </p><p>“Sa madaling sabi, ang national budget ay hindi ginagawa ng iisang tao, iisang opisina, o iisang institusyon lamang. Dumadaan po ito sa isang mahaba, masusi, at multi-layered na proseso,” Atienza said. </p><p>“Kaya po ang paratang na si Rep. Romualdez ay may ‘functional control,’ o mas malala, na siya ang ‘mastermind’ ng buong flood control scheme, ay hindi suportado at hindi tugma sa mismong istruktura ng ating pamahalaan at sa aktwal na proseso ng national budget,” she said. </p><p>“‘Wag po nating baluktutin ang katotohanan. Wala pong kakayahan ang Speaker na diktahan ang mga Senador, ang Pangulo, o ang sinuman sa proseso ng pagpasa ng budget,” she added. </p><p>Romualdez’s camp reiterated that lawmakers’ mandates do not cover the release of funds nor the implementation of projects and the certification of “ghost” or bogus structures — which all fall under the executive branch. </p><p>“Accountability must be based on evidence, not theory or opinion. It must be based on what a person actually did, not what people assume his title allowed him to do,” Atienza said. </p><p>“We therefore call for sobriety, fairness, and fidelity to the rules. Sweeping public pronouncements that point to Rep. Romualdez as the grand architect of a collegial and multi-faceted process involving the Executive, the House and the Senate do not help the search for truth. They only reinforce our concern that public narratives are being allowed to run ahead of evidence,” she said. </p><p>Romualdez “remains ready to answer all allegations through the proper legal process,” his spokesperson said.  </p><p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said the agency was preparing two cases against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, including the<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/ombudsman-says-preparing-grandest-case-vs-romualdez-1425"> “grandest” case of conspiracy to defraud the national treasury. </a></p><p>Romualdez previously denied allegations that he orchestrated budget insertions tied to the flood control scandal and said he would<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/21/romualdez-says-he-will-not-allow-myself-to-be-turned-into-scapegoat-in-flood-control-mess-1825"> “not allow [himself] to be turned into the scapegoat.&quot;</a></p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/21/romualdez-says-he-will-not-allow-myself-to-be-turned-into-scapegoat-in-flood-control-mess-1825Ombudsman says flood control case vs Joel Villaneuva almost readyhttps://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/28/jinggoy-estrada-plunder-case-flood-control-scandal-1359"> Jinggoy Estrada plunder, graft case filed before Sandiganbayan over flood scandal </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/21/romualdez-says-he-will-not-allow-myself-to-be-turned-into-scapegoat-in-flood-control-mess-1825Ombudsman says flood control case vs Joel Villaneuva almost ready">Ombudsman says flood control case vs Joel Villaneuva almost ready  </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/23/comelec-ready-to-coordinate-with-ombudsman-on-plunder-indirect-bribery-cases-vs-marcoleta-1658">Comelec ready to ‘coordinate’ with Ombudsman on plunder, indirect bribery cases vs. Marcoleta </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CsOdOsaYjEo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EiJFpuL9MIo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/434Yi8mYIYc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez urged authorities to refrain from “twisting the truth”, as it disputed the Office of the Ombudsman’s remark that he could have had “functional control” over the Committee on Appropriations tagged in flood control anomalies.</p>

The camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez urged authorities to refrain from “twisting the truth”, as it disputed the Office of the Ombudsman’s remark that he could have had “functional control” over the Committee on Appropriations tagged in flood control anomalies.

‘Wag baluktutin ang katotohanan’: Romualdez camp tells Ombudsman ‘no such thing as functional control’ over flood budget panel

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‘Wag baluktutin ang katotohanan’: Romualdez camp tells Ombudsman ‘no such thing as functional control’ over flood budget panel

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 29, 2026 09:17 AM PHT

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Updated May 29, 2026 10:11 AM PHT

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Ombudsman

Romualdez

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