The camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Thursday formally filed his counter-affidavit with the Office of the Ombudsman, denying his involvement in an alleged flood control kickback scheme that purportedly cost the government billions of pesos.

Atty. Felix Villa, one of Romualdez’s lawyers, confirmed the filing in an ambush interview with reporters after submitting the document to the Ombudsman.

In a separate press conference, Atty. Ade Fajardo said the counter-affidavit included sworn statements from 25 former bodyguards of ex-congressman Zaldy Co that sought to contradict allegations that Romualdez received kickbacks.

Among those whose statements were included was Orly Guteza, the first of Co’s purported bodyguards to publicly testify before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Guteza recanted his testimony and allegations against several lawmakers on Wednesday, 19 August, claiming his Senate testimony had been prepared by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former congressman Mike Defensor.

He further claimed that he was promised monetary compensation and educational scholarships for his children in exchange for his testimony.

Asked how Romualdez’s camp obtained the affidavits, Fajardo said lawyers representing the individuals approached them.

According to Fajardo, the statements denied that deliveries of alleged kickback money to Romualdez or other government officials ever took place.

“Some of them were named as drivers’ companions. But even they deny it. So what is the credibility of a statement that was with driver X and driver Y during the delivery if X and Y are actually saying that it never happened?” Fajardo said.

Aside from disputing allegations that officials received kickbacks through luggage filled with cash, Fajardo said a “substantial number” of the bodyguards claimed they had been offered financial rewards to join the so-called “Brave 18.”

‘Nothing links Romualdez to flood control’

Fajardo also argued that aside from the allegations against Romualdez, there was no documentary trail connecting the former Speaker to anomalous flood control projects.

“Aside from these stories…there is nothing that links congressman Romualdez to these transactions…no project, no flood control project,” he said.

Fajardo said the Ombudsman’s case appeared to rest on Romualdez’s position as House Speaker while Co served as chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.

He argued that if participation in the budget process were enough to establish accountability, the same reasoning could potentially extend to lawmakers in both chambers of Congress and officials in the executive branch.

“If the theory of the case is that every lawmaker that participated, every senator that participated, because this is bicam, including the executive department where the projects started are under the control of congressman Romualdez. I think that’s not consistent with human experience,” Fajardo said.