The camp of Leyte 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has denied allegations linking him to the alleged flood control project anomalies, insisting that no evidence connects him to the controversy.
The denial came after the Office of the Ombudsman identified Romualdez as the alleged mastermind behind the supposed flood control scam.
“Yung grand case of conspiracy and plunder na ang pinakapuno’t dulo nun ay si former Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Ombudsman spokesperson Mico Clavano said.
In response, Romualdez spokesperson Elaine Atienza said no investigation has implicated the former Speaker in the alleged irregularities.
“Despite numerous Senate and House inquiries and other official investigations, no former or incumbent DPWH official has ever identified Rep. Romualdez as having participated in the planning, procurement, implementation, inspection, payment, or release of funds for any alleged ghost project,” Atienza said.
The Romualdez camp also rejected the Ombudsman’s claim that the House leadership manipulated the budget prepared by former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, whom the Ombudsman plans to present as a state witness.
“Even former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan—despite all opportunities in the past and who had firsthand knowledge of the Department’s operations—never implicated Rep. Romualdez. Simple lang kung bakit—because Rep. Romualdez was not involved,” Atienza said.
She stressed that the national budget undergoes a multi-sectoral process and is not controlled by a single official, including the House Speaker.
Atienza also emphasized that the implementation of infrastructure projects—including bidding, contract awards, inspections, payments, and fund releases—is the responsibility of the Executive Branch, not the House Speaker.
“The Speaker has absolutely no authority over project bidding, contract awards, implementation, inspections, payments, or the release of government funds. Hindi niya po saklaw ang pagpapa-release ng budget. Those are functions vested by law in the Executive Branch,” she said.
“Kung may nagkasala, papanagutin natin. Pero huwag nating gawing shortcut ang paghahanap ng isang malaking pangalan para lang may maipakita sa publiko,” Atienza added.
