Former solon sees ‘demolition job’ vs Romualdez

Former Representative Ace Barbers has linked a recent wave of allegations against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to a coordinated "hit or miss demolition job," which he claims was sparked by an uncorroborated Senate testimony last month.

Barbers, a former chair of the House Quad Committee, suggested that the pattern of unverified accusations points to a smear campaign designed to undercut Romualdez's credibility.

He specifically cited the 25 September 2025 surprise appearance of Orly Regala Guteza before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee as the catalyst for the follow-up stories and claims targeting the former speaker.

Guteza, who claimed to be a former Marine sergeant, alleged that he and others personally delivered suitcases of cash to the residences of Romualdez and lawmaker Zaldy Co.

Romualdez has vehemently denied the accusation, calling it "fabricated, malicious, and politically motivated," and asserting that no such delivery occurred. His legal team has questioned the authenticity of Guteza’s affidavit, noting discrepancies, including that the Romualdez residence was reportedly unoccupied for renovation during the alleged delivery period.

Barbers urged the Senate committee to treat the testimony with caution, warning that the statement of a lone, uncorroborated witness could be easily weaponized for character assassination. Following his Senate appearance, Guteza reportedly failed to affirm his allegations with the Department of Justice and has since gone missing.

Barbers observed that the Guteza episode coincided with other reports attempting to link Romualdez to alleged anomalies in farm-to-market road projects in Tacloban and with the circulation of fake news claiming he was made a state witness.

Reports emerged in September alleging overpricing in farm-to-market road projects in Leyte, Romualdez’s political stronghold. However, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. later clarified that an internal audit found the Leyte and Tacloban projects "to be in order," with no ghost or substandard roads identified.

Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno echoed the sentiment, calling the timing of the allegations "suspicious" and suggesting they were part of a coordinated campaign against the former speaker.

Adding to the controversy, social media posts falsely claimed Romualdez was being considered as a possible state witness in an ongoing flood-control investigation.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) immediately denied the report, with then-Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla branding the online posts as "misinformation." Remulla clarified that Romualdez "had never applied for, nor was he being considered for, any form of witness protection or testimonial immunity."

Barbers said the spread of the state witness claim was likely intended to embarrass the former speaker or to lend false credibility to unproven graft allegations. He stressed that public discourse must be based on verified facts rather than "orchestrated propaganda," which he warned can erode public trust and damage reputations without due process.

The call for due process was supported by Makati Business Club executive director Rafael "Apa" Ongpin, who urged President Marcos to remain impartial in the quest for truth and accountability regarding the public works controversy.

As of late, none of the three issues—Guteza’s testimony, the farm-to-market road allegations, and the state-witness narrative—have been substantiated by any official finding from the Senate, the Department of Agriculture, or the DoJ.