Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Members of the 20th Congress of the Lower House are currently casting their votes for the next Speaker of the House, with Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino 'Bojie' Dy III poised to take over the chamber’s leadership. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – The legal counsel of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Saturday said the lawmaker is prepared to face any complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, insisting there is no evidence linking him to irregularities in flood control projects.Atty. Ade Fajardo questioned why Romualdez continues to be implicated in the controversy despite what he described as the absence of proof.&quot;Hanggang ngayon, kami ay nagtataka kung bakit ganoon ang direksyon samantalang, sa aming pananaw, wala talagang patunay o walang ebidensya tungkol sa kaugnayan ng dating Speaker sa flood-control anomalies,&quot; Fajardo said.The lawyer argued that one of the individuals who implicated Romualdez, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, remains outside the Philippines and has yet to execute a sworn statement.&quot;Hanggang sa ngayon, wala sa jurisdiction ng Pilipinas si Ginoong Zaldy Co. Matagal na siyang tumakas, hindi niya sinumpaan ang kanyang salaysay. Lahat ito ay self-serving. Sinasalba niya ang sarili niya at dinadamay niya lahat ng gusto niyang idamay,&quot; he said.Fajardo also questioned the credibility of testimonies from former military personnel cited in the controversy.&quot;Alam naman natin kung gaano hindi kapani-paniwala ang kanilang salaysay. Pabago-bago, paiba-iba... at naglalaman ng mga incredible statements,&quot; he said.The lawyer added that the House&#x27;s Internal Control and Inspection (ICI) had supposedly found no liability on the part of Romualdez.&quot;ICI mismo ang naglabas ng kanilang finding na wala silang mahanap na liability. Noong dinala nila ang records sa Office of the Ombudsman, mayroon pong ganoong expressed finding ang ICI,&quot; Fajardo said.He maintained that Romualdez respects the independence of the Senate and the House of Representatives, explaining why the former Speaker did not appear during Senate hearings on the alleged anomalies.&quot;Atin pong ginagalang ang pagkakapantay-pantay ng dalawang Kapulungan. Kung babasagin natin &#x27;yan para dito, wala nang katapusan ang patawag ng isang chamber sa isa pang chamber,&quot; he said.Fajardo said Romualdez is ready to answer the allegations once formally required by the Ombudsman.&quot;Si dating Speaker po ay willing. Hindi siya tumakas sa pananagutang ito. Kusang-loob siyang bumaba bilang Speaker para bigyang-daan ang pagsasaliksik at pag-iimbestiga rito,&quot; he said.He added that Romualdez has remained in the country and continues to perform his duties as Leyte representative.&quot;Nandito po siya. Siya po ay abala bilang representative ng Leyte at, siyempre, hindi siya tumatakas. Willing siya to face everything kung meron mang sinasabing ebidensya,&quot; Fajardo said.Asked whether Romualdez would comply if subpoenaed, the lawyer said, “Ever since, hindi siya tumatakas dito. Naghihintay lang kami ng formal subpoena from the Office of the Ombudsman.&quot;Fajardo also said the Ombudsman has yet to begin a preliminary investigation involving Romualdez.&quot;Inaamin ng ginagalang nating Ombudsman na hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring preliminary investigation. At hindi pa siya nasu-subpoena ng Office of the Ombudsman,&quot; he said.He argued that Romualdez should first be given the opportunity to formally answer any complaint before conclusions are made.&quot;Kami po ay nababahala dito dahil ang dating Speaker ay kailangang bigyan ng pagkakataon na sumagot formally sa mga paratang na ito bago magkaroon ng conclusion.&quot;On preparations for a possible case, Fajardo said the camp remains confident because Romualdez allegedly had no role in implementing flood control projects.&quot;Napakasimple lang actually. Kasi kung wala ka namang participation, talagang maa-anticipate mo na wala namang ebidensya,&quot; he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/17/ombudsman-says-very-close-to-filing-plunder-raps-vs-romualdez-1751">Ombudsman says &#x27;very close&#x27; to filing plunder raps vs Romualdez</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/ombudsman-says-preparing-grandest-case-vs-romualdez-1425">Ombudsman says preparing case vs Romualdez over &#x27;grandest&#x27; conspiracy to defraud gov&#x27;t</a></div>

The legal counsel of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Saturday said the lawmaker is prepared to face any complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, insisting there is no evidence linking him to alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

The legal counsel of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Saturday said the lawmaker is prepared to face any complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, insisting there is no evidence linking him to alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

Romualdez camp says ex-Speaker ready to face Ombudsman probe, denies links to flood control anomalies

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Romualdez camp says ex-Speaker ready to face Ombudsman probe, denies links to flood control anomalies

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 18, 2026 06:14 PM PHT

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Martin Romualdez

Flood control

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