The camp of former Speaker Martin Romualdez accused the Office of the Ombudsman of having “pre-judged” the flood control case against him, citing the anti-graft body’s repeated public pronouncements on its ongoing investigation.

Atty. Ade Fajardo, one of Romualdez’s counsels and spokespersons, said he would “respectfully disagree” with Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano’s position that the recantations of former congressman Zaldy Co’s bodyguards were “not an eraser” of their previous statements concerning Romualdez’s alleged involvement in the flood control controversy.

Fajardo argued that the key issue arising from the recantations was not necessarily determining which statements were true or false, but whether the individuals who changed their accounts could still be considered credible witnesses in a criminal case.

“From our estimation, from our appreciation of the recantations, our position is that there is really no case, it is very weak,” Fajardo said.

“It seems that the Ombudsman is simply stating such remarks to say that the case is still alive,” he added.

Fajardo urged the Ombudsman to determine whether it had “credible and sufficient” evidence directly linking Romualdez to the allegations in the complaints.

He maintained that, based on the evidence available to the defense, the case against Romualdez should be dismissed.

Case ‘pre-judged’

Fajardo also expressed concern over the Ombudsman’s repeated public statements regarding its investigation, arguing that these created the impression that the anti-graft body had already reached a conclusion about Romualdez’s alleged involvement.

“Well, from our appreciation, and we are apprehensive that because of the numerous public positions of the current Ombudsman that the case has been pre-judged,” Fajardo said.

“There seems to be a conclusion that has been formed and they are just chasing evidence to support a legal conclusion that, for us, leads to nothing,” he added.

Fajardo said Romualdez’s camp hoped the Ombudsman would decide the case fairly and impartially in accordance with the Constitution.

‘Recantations not an eraser’

During a press briefing on Friday, 28 August, Clavano said the Ombudsman considered the recantations additional evidence, stressing that withdrawing previous statements did not automatically erase them.

He said the circumstances surrounding the recantations themselves would have to be investigated.

“Actually, there are more questions about the recantation than there are about the first affidavit. So when it gets to court, we believe that it is incumbent upon the prosecution to show which affidavit should be or represents the truth,” Clavano said.

Clavano also said the Ombudsman had received information alleging that Co’s bodyguards who recanted their statements had been paid to do so. He did not identify who allegedly made the payments.

The allegation has not been established in court.

In information submitted for preliminary investigation, Romualdez was accused of receiving P56 billion in infrastructure kickbacks from 2022 to 2025.

State investigators have sought the filing of charges for plunder, graft, bribery and money laundering against the former Speaker.