Babes Romualdez: Marcos won’t meddle in flood control probe

MAKATI CITY — Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babes” Romualdez said Monday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is serious about allowing the investigation into flood control anomalies to proceed, including cases involving his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Asked about the Ombudsman’s move to file draft charges against the Leyte congressman, Babes Romualdez said the President has been clear about his position on the investigation.

“Well, I think from what I see, coming from Washington, because I'm very much outside, is that I think President Marcos is very clear about what he wants to do,” he told reporters in an ambush interview in Makati City on the sidelines of a fireside chat with a senior Pentagon official.

“There will be no second counts, and he meant that,” he added.

The envoy also maintained that the Ombudsman should be allowed to independently pursue its investigation.

“I think that…whatever the Ombudsman is doing is something… it's an independent body now, and he will not meddle into it. I think he was very clear when he said that. So, we'll leave it at that,” he added.

Romualdez earlier confirmed in June that the United States had revoked the visa of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, although he said he had no further details.

The US Embassy in Manila declined to provide details on the visa cancellation.

Martin Romualdez is among those pointed to as masterminds behind the anomalous ghost flood control projects.

He faces possible charges of plunder, graft, direct and indirect bribery, and money laundering before the Office of the Ombudsman.