‘PILIT NA PILIT!’ Romualdez slams ‘coaching’ of Marcoleta’s witness in flood control probe

Former House speaker Martin Romualdez was quick to debunk the imputations that he received kickbacks from flood control projects, as alleged by a so-called former aide of Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co in a Senate hearing Thursday. 

“The so-called testimony of Sen. [Rodante] Marcoleta’s witness is an outright and complete fabrication—nothing more than a desperate attempt to link me to supposed kickbacks where none exist. Pilit na pilit (extremely forced),” Romualdez asserted. 

The erstwhile House chief was referring to the sworn testimony of Orly Guteza, who introduced himself as Co’s former security consultant, claiming that he repeatedly delivered luggage with cash to Romualdez’s residence in McKinley, Taguig. 

The money, dubbed “basura” (trash), was allegedly kickbacks from flood control projects. Guteza claimed that he also regularly delivered luggage to Co’s residence in Valle Verde 6, Pasig, each containing about P48 million.

Guteza said this had been their setup since December 2024 until he resigned from Co’s team in August. 

Romualdez, however, belied the accusations, calling it “impossible” because the property in question has been under renovation since January last year, and only construction workers have occupied it.

“Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus—false in one thing, false in everything,” the solon lamented. 

Romualdez posits that Guteza's “perjurious statements” are politically motivated and a “product of coaching,” warning that he will not let it pass. 

Guteza, allegedly hired as Co’s aide, reportedly sought Marcoleta’s help to testify against the lawmakers in the Senate’s ongoing investigation into the corruption scheme in flood control projects.

Aside from Romualdez and Co, Guteza also implicated Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, accusing him of delivering 46 suitcases also stuffed with cash to Co’s residence.

Yap was among the latest members of Congress, along with former senators Bong Revilla and Nancy Binay, to be tagged on Thursday in the fraudulent flood control projects. 

Yap dismissed Guteza’s accusations as “untrue, ” saying he’s open to facing the accuser in “the proper forum and under proceedings where my constitutional rights are respected.”. 

Nonetheless, the solon has high hopes that justice will prevail, unmasking the “real culprits and heartless criminals who perpetrated this outrage against the nation.”

Romualdez and Co were first implicated in the flood control scandal earlier this month when big-time contractor Curlee Discaya accused them of receiving 10 to 25 percent kickbacks from projects awarded to his several firms.

He, however, later denied that he had direct dealings with Romualdez and Co, saying that their other colleagues asking for commissions may only be using their names to gain leverage.

Romualdez reiterated that he never received or benefited from kickbacks in any infrastructure project, nor has he ever “authorized, instructed, or allowed anyone to engage in any conduct that would betray the people or taint my name.”

The congressional probe exposing several lawmakers in an alleged kickback scheme prompted Romualdez to resign as speaker last week to uphold the independence of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s probe, without any hint of “political interference.”

“I remained silent out of respect for the process, but now that my name has been maliciously dragged into this controversy, I will fight back— not with rhetoric, but with evidence,” the former House chief warned. 

“I have never stolen public funds. I don’t need money from that which comes from illegal means,” he concluded. 

In addition to Romualdez, Co, and Yap, Discaya also named 18 House lawmakers as allegedly receiving 10 to 25 percent kickbacks from their projects.

Apart from members of the House, Senators Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, and Chiz Escudero were also implicated in the corruption scheme, allegedly receiving at least 30 percent kickback. The senators also denied the accusations.