The camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed confidence that recent recantations by several witnesses could help clear him of allegations linking him to anomalous flood control transactions.

In an interview with DZMM on Sunday, Romualdez spokesperson Atty. Abdiel Dan Fajardo said the former Speaker’s camp had submitted a supplemental counter-affidavit to the Office of the Ombudsman containing statements from 25 former personnel of ex-congressman Zaldy Co.

Fajardo said the affidavits were intended to counter allegations that Romualdez received kickbacks through the so-called “maleta boys.”

The development followed the 19 August recantation of Orly Guteza and four other alleged couriers who had earlier testified against Romualdez.

“Iyan po ang nagbigay ng buhay din kay Congressman Romualdez, nagpatibay ng kanyang loob,” Fajardo said.

(That also gave Congressman Romualdez renewed hope and strengthened his resolve.)

Fajardo maintained that Romualdez had been implicated largely because he was House Speaker when the questioned budgets were approved.

“Idinadawit lang dito si Congressman Romualdez dahil nga at that time na pinasa yung mga budget na ito ay siya ay speaker of the House,” he said.

He said the camp hopes other witnesses who allegedly gave false statements would also withdraw their testimonies.

Fajardo argued that testimonial evidence alone may be weak if unsupported by documentary or physical evidence.

“Mas mababa po ang kalidad ng testimonya, because ang testimonya po madali ihabi ang kwento,” he said.

(The quality of testimonial evidence is lower because stories can easily be constructed.)

He added that witnesses who are not telling the truth may struggle when subjected to questioning in court.

“Hopefully, ma-realize din nila na ito ay mahirap depensahan sa korte, kung ikaw ay nagsisinungaling ay mahihirapan ka talagang sumagot sa mga katanungan na ‘yon,” Fajardo said.

(Hopefully, they will also realize that this is difficult to defend in court. If you are lying, you will really have difficulty answering those questions.)

Fajardo said the camp remained hopeful that the case against Romualdez would be dismissed.

“Kami ay umaasa na madi-dismiss itong kaso kay Congressman Romualdez,” he said.

He also denied suggestions that Romualdez or his camp influenced the witnesses who recanted.

“Wala pong ganyang pangyayari. We have denied and we will deny that insinuation,” Fajardo said.

He added that the camp would not accept accusations that it had fabricated or manufactured evidence.

Asked whether the recantations could distract from other major political issues, including the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and pending flood control cases, Fajardo said any such effect was unintended.

“Possible na yan ang epekto. Hindi po namin sinasadya po iyan, in fact we were pleasantly surprised na nagkaroon ng ganitong recantations or new affidavits,” he said.

(That may possibly be the effect. We did not intend that. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised that there were these recantations or new affidavits.)