Vice President Sara Duterte has challenged former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former Representative Elizaldy Co to prioritize national interest and reveal the "truth" following reports that the Office of the Ombudsman has tagged them as the masterminds of a multibillion-peso flood control scandal.
Speaking before supporters in The Hague, the Vice President responded to questions regarding the Ombudsman's recent findings, which link the two high-ranking officials to at least P56 billion in alleged kickbacks amassed between 2022 and 2025.
“Iba naman ang sinasabi ni Martin Romualdez at ni Zaldy Co. Kung totoo talaga na interesado si Zaldy Co at si Martin Romualdez sa hustisya, hindi lang para sa kanilang sarili, kundi para na sa taong bayan at sa Pilipinas, dapat sabihin nila kung ano totoo,” Duterte said.
The Vice President’s challenge comes as the Office of the Ombudsman filed a complaint-affidavit against Romualdez and Co for plunder, graft, and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege the pair orchestrated a scheme to funnel public funds into ghost infrastructure projects, with Co reportedly instructed to deliver P2 billion in monthly cash kickbacks to Romualdez.
Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has denied wrongdoing and described the investigation as politically motivated. He also urged the Ombudsman to inhibit from the case, alleging bias.
Co, meanwhile, earlier accused the Marcos administration of inserting P100 billion into the 2025 national budget, claims that Malacañang Palace dismissed as “pure hearsay”.
During the same interview, Duterte also brushed off claims by some lawmakers that the House already had enough votes to move forward with impeachment proceedings against her.
Asked about statements from members of the House of Representatives expressing confidence that they could secure more than 180 votes once an impeachment report reaches the plenary, Duterte replied: “Madami ang pumipera gamit ang pangalan ko.”
She added in Bisaya that she hoped constituents would also benefit from the money allegedly carried in officials’ “bulsa” and “maleta.”
Earlier this week, a Quezon City Regional Trial Court branch dismissed a petition filed by her husband, lawyer Mans Carpio, which sought to stop impeachment proceedings against Duterte, ruling that the House of Representatives has jurisdiction over such matters.
Duterte has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to allegations raised against her in impeachment complaints filed before the House.