Does the buck stop with Martin Romualdez?

Does the buck stop with Martin Romualdez? | Daily Tribune

Those who have been following the flood control cases could tell something was brewing given the sudden increase in chatter in the weeks leading to his arrest. With much ado being made about his arrest, Malacañang has declared that accountability knows no kinship.

Even Senator Ping Lacson has made an effort to declare that critics accusing the President of weak leadership should now be silenced. The Marcos Jr. narrative is clear: justice has arrived, and even the powerful are not exempt.

But has it really? One arrest does not justice make.

The Palace should not rest easy. And certainly, it should not make the mistake of thinking that Romualdez’s arrest makes up for its gross incompetence and lack of decisive action on the flood control mess and the recent onslaught of flooding from the monsoon season.

The plunder case against Romualdez involves a staggering amount — billions in alleged kickbacks from flood control and other infrastructure projects — projects meant to shield communities from the very typhoons that ravage us year after year.

The Ombudsman alleges that Romualdez wielded “institutional influence” over the national budget from 2022 to 2025, receiving cash deliveries on at least 15 occasions.

Former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, whom Romualdez appointed to be chair of the House Appropriations Committee, remains a fugitive, reportedly in France seeking political asylum.

Two other co-accused — Romualdez staff member Jocelyn Sereño and money-changer Felicito Guevarra — are also at large.

Yet the question that lingers, unanswered and uncomfortable, is this: of all the names that have surfaced in this widening scandal, why only Romualdez and Co? What of the members of Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet and the other lawmakers still sitting in the House and Senate whose names have been similarly implicated in testimonies — recanted or not — and in the voluminous documents of the Blue Ribbon probe?

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s partial report (under Lacson’s chairmanship) listed a “menu” of possible criminal charges against several lawmakers. The names included incumbent Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Joel Villanueva, and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as former Senator Bong Revilla.

Estrada and Revilla have since been arrested over nonbailable plunder cases linked to flood control kickbacks. Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan surrendered but has been discharged to be a state witness.

More curious, given these developments, what will Martin Romualdez do now that the lines have been drawn? Will he sit idly by and “take one for the team,” or will he make good on what he said when he broke his silence on his supposed involvement in the flood control scandal that he will not go down alone?

What does he know that hasn’t yet come to light? If he is not the brains behind the scheme, will he finally break his silence and tell all as to who really orchestrated and profited from the flood control and budget controversies? Will he finally spill the beans and bring everyone down with him?

(To be continued)