By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Friday strongly denied allegations by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla that he orchestrated the recantation of several key witnesses, accusing the Ombudsman of prejudging the case and exposing what he called a clear bias against him.
Romualdez issued the statement after Remulla claimed that he was behind the decision of four former bodyguards of ex-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co to withdraw their affidavits linking him to alleged cash deliveries.
“The Ombudsman’s accusation is absolutely false. It only shows how extremely prejudiced he is against me,” Romualdez said.
He maintained that the recantations do not strengthen the prosecution’s case but instead reinforce his long-standing assertion that the accusations were fabricated from the start.
“The recantations prove what I have been saying all along—that the allegations are false and trumped-up,” he said, adding that he would face the charges “with facts, evidence and the truth.”
The controversy intensified after four of the 18 former bodyguards publicly withdrew their earlier affidavits, claiming they had signed the documents after allegedly being promised financial assistance.
Despite the reversal, Remulla insisted the witness withdrawals would not derail the Ombudsman’s investigation, saying the case is supported by independent evidence and suggesting that the recantations could be part of efforts to obstruct justice.
The dispute stems from the Ombudsman’s ongoing probe into the alleged diversion of P56 billion in infrastructure funds between 2022 and 2025, in which investigators claim suitcases of cash were delivered to beneficiaries through Co’s former bodyguards.
Romualdez has repeatedly denied the allegations and accused investigators of building their case on witnesses whose credibility government officials themselves had previously questioned.
ia/xf
