The legal team of former Speaker and Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez expressed deep bewilderment on Wednesday over what they described as the Office of the Ombudsman’s persistent “fixation” on the lawmaker despite a clear lack of credible evidence.
Speaking on behalf of the former House leader, legal counsel and spokesman Atty. Ade Fajardo questioned the anti-graft body’s continued efforts to build a case against Romualdez, accusing the agency of unjust single-out tactics and harassment.
“Hindi namin maintindihan kung bakit ganun na lamang ang attention na binibigay nila, ang panggigipit nila kay Rep. Romualdez. Eh wala na namang credible na ebidensiya,” Fajardo said.
(We cannot understand why they are giving so much attention and pressure to Rep. Romualdez when there is no longer any credible evidence.)
Fajardo highlighted a stark disparity in how the Ombudsman is handling the investigation into the controversial flood control scam. He noted that while several high-ranking government officials and lawmakers were initially implicated alongside Romualdez, most have since been cleared or dropped from the investigation following mass retractions.
“Nawala na nga lahat ng mga malalaking opisyal ng pamahalaan nang mag-urungan ang Maleta boys at nagsabi ang karamihan na wala silang alam sa sinasabing deliveries, tinanggal na sa listahan at siguro in-absolved na. Pero iniiwan pa rin ng Ombudsman at mistulang singled out na natitira na lamang ay ang aming kliyente,” Fajardo added.
(All the big government officials were removed when the ‘Maleta Boys’ backed out and mostly stated they knew nothing about the alleged deliveries—they were taken off the list and presumably absolved. Yet the Ombudsman keeps targeting our client, leaving him virtually singled out.)
According to Fajardo, five key members of the group dubbed the “Maleta Boys,” including star witness Orly Guteza, have formally executed affidavits recanting their original allegations against the Leyte representative.
“Formal affidavit ang ginawa nila, hindi press release,” Fajardo emphasized, noting that official legal documents were submitted rather than mere public statements.
He further pointed out that these retractions were reinforced by statements from 25 of the recanters’ colleagues, who explicitly refuted the initial claims raised by the original 18 witnesses.
Despite the formal withdrawal of the core accusations and the collapse of the primary testimonies, Fajardo lamented that the Ombudsman appears determined to press forward against Romualdez.
“Kaya kami ay naguguluhan kung bakit ganito ang trato nila sa dating Speaker. Masyado na yata siyang pinepersonal,” Fajardo stressed, raising concerns that the probe has crossed from a standard legal inquiry into a personal vendor.