Jamaine Punzalan

Leyte First District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the opening of the first regular session of the 20th  Congress on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

Kaxandra Salonga

Daniza Fernandez

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/178876895006220250728-house-speaker-romualdez-JC6.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align: left;">Leyte First District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the opening of the first regular session of the 20th &nbsp;Congress on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong>&nbsp;(2nd UPDATE)</strong> &mdash; The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday filed plunder raps against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and others over an alleged flood control kickback scheme.</p><p>Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano arrived at the Sandiganbayan shortly before noon to file the cases.</p><p>&quot;Ayaw naming mag-file ng kaso nang hilaw. Gusto namin, and&#39;yan na lahat ng aming ebidensya... Dito, yun ang ginawa namin. Hindi naging madali ang proseso ngunit sa haba ng prusisyon, ika nga sa kasabihan, sa simbahan din ang dating,&quot; Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said hours later in a press briefing.</p><p>The anti-graft court confirmed that the cases were lodged against Romualdez, Co, a private individual, and the president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp.</p><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/gbeDnSMtfI8?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br></div><p>The Office of the Ombudsman&rsquo;s special panel of investigators earlier alleged that Samchan was involved in foreign exchange transactions that allegedly helped conceal Romualdez&rsquo;s beneficial ownership of high-value properties.</p><p>Based on the supplemental complaint filed by the panel, Romualdez allegedly unlawfully amassed, accumulated, and acquired ill-gotten wealth amounting to P56 billion from 2022 to 2025.</p><p>The plunder case was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan Third Division, chaired by Associate Justice Karl Miranda. It will determine if there is probable cause to issue warrants of arrest against the respondents.</p><p>The court&rsquo;s Third Division also handles the plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and the malversation case against former Sen. Ramon &ldquo;Bong&rdquo; Revilla Jr.</p><p>Romualdez &ldquo;will face the allegations against him in accordance with law,&rdquo; his lawyer Ade Fajardo said.&nbsp;</p><p>&ldquo;We recognize the public interest surrounding this case. But ultimately, criminal liability must be determined by the evidence presented in court, under the rules and safeguards of our justice system,&rdquo; Fajardo said in a statement.&nbsp;</p><p>&ldquo;Representative Romualdez asks for no special treatment. He asks only for the same due process and fair hearing guaranteed to every Filipino. Katotohanan, ebidensya, at patas na proseso ang dapat manaig,&rdquo; he added.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=315&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1702358721894627%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Malaca&ntilde;ang on Monday said it respects the filing of the case, adding that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had spoken in his State of the Nation Address in July of the cases that Romualdez, his cousin, may soon face.</p><p>&quot;Ang sa pangulo naman po ay kung sino po ang dapat na managot ay dapat na panagutin. Kung sinuman po iyan &mdash; kamag-anak, kaibigan, kaalyado o kalaban sa politika,&quot; Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.</p><p>She said she has not had the chance to ask the president on his personal feelings at the development.</p><div><strong>MORE CASES COMING</strong></div><p>Remulla said more cases would be filed against Romualdez.</p><p>&quot;It&#39;s a series of cases. Hindi lang ho ito, marami pa pong kasong ihahain dito... May iba pang plunder cases at marami po rito, money laundering cases,&quot; Remulla said.&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Iyan ay kitang-kita po sa aming mga pag-aaral ng mga pangyayari at sa mga nakausap naming testigo at sa mga ayaw tumestigo, pero gagawin naming hostile cases,&quot; he added.</p><p>The filing comes after Romualdez&rsquo;s lawyer Ade Fajardo said the Ombudsman no longer had credible witnesses or sufficient basis to pursue the case against the former House speaker.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/20/romualdez-includes-guteza-s-recantation-in-supplemental-counter-affidavit-for-ombudsman-1608">Romualdez includes Guteza&#39;s recantation in supplemental counter-affidavit for Ombudsman</a></div><p>Fajardo cited the retractions of Orly Guteza and several former bodyguards or security aides of Co, who previously alleged that they delivered large amounts of money to Romualdez.</p><p>However, the Ombudsman earlier said a recantation does not erase an earlier statement. It said the original and recanted testimonies would be compared and evaluated as part of the evidence in the case.</p><p>&quot;Alam naman natin kung anong nangyayari pag recantation, alam yan ng buong mundo, alam &#39;yan ng korte: pera po ang umiirap pagdating sa recantation. Hindi po ako takot sa recantation, wala kaming kinatatakutan sa recantation kasi normal lang na yun ang naisip nilang paraan para humina ang kaso namin, pero hindi po humihina ang kaso,&quot; Remulla added. &nbsp;</p><p>Clavano previously said the Ombudsman had 42 witnesses against Romualdez, including 28 new witnesses and 14 former bodyguards of Co.</p><p>The Ombudsman named former public works secretary<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/4/ex-dpwh-sec-bonoan-released-1051">&nbsp;Manuel Bonoan</a> as one of the possible witnesses in the master case to defraud the national treasury against Romualdez.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/27/marcos-says-multiple-charges-vs-romualdez-to-be-filed-soon-1621">&#39;Hindi ako pangulo ng aking pamilya&#39;: Marcos says multiple charges vs Romualdez to be filed soon</a>&nbsp;</div><div><em></em></div><div><strong>&#39;DUE PROCESS&#39;</strong></div><p>Lakas-CMD, the political party of Romualdez, called for impartiality and due process as the Ombudsman filed plunder charges against the former Speaker.&nbsp;</p><p>&ldquo;I think the former Speaker is also given the chance to prove himself innocent and we are calling for due process,&quot; Lakas-CMD spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said.</p><p>Adiong also expressed confidence that Romualdez would face the allegations &ldquo;head on,&rdquo; pointing out that the former House Speaker has remained in the country since the investigation began.</p><p>&ldquo;He will face these allegations head on, he will not evade. In fact his confidence in proving his innocence is evident by the fact that he never left the country,&rdquo; he added.</p><p>Adiong said the party is yet to convene, but they welcome the investigations and called for &ldquo;justice to do its work.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;Very consistent po ang call ng Lakas &mdash; impartial due process and impartiality in every step on the way and keeping justice do its work.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p><p>Romualdez&rsquo;s camp has asked the Ombudsman for &ldquo;fairness&rdquo; in the investigation as they raised a concern on alleged prejudgment for tagging the House member as a &ldquo;mastermind&rdquo; in the case.</p><p>The Sandiganbayan has previously issued a precautionary hold departure order against Romualdez. <strong>&mdash;With reports from Allison Co, Harlene Delgado, and Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:&nbsp;</strong></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/fh2qYqh5xUc?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br></div>

<p>The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday filed a plunder case against former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co over the alleged flood control kickback scheme. </p>

The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday filed a plunder case against former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.

Romualdez, Co charged with plunder

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Romualdez, Co charged with plunder

Kaxandra Salonga,

Jamaine Punzalan,

Daniza Fernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 07, 2026 11:54 AM PHT

|

Updated September 07, 2026 04:16 PM PHT

Read More:

Martin Romualdez

flood control

Ombudsman

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