Youtuber and losing Mandaluyong councilor candidate Chris Tan said there is “no direct evidence yet” linking former Speaker Martin Romualdez to the multibillion-peso flood-control corruption issue. The remark came during a Bilyonaryo interview where Tan was asked whether the credibility of the investigations would be affected if it failed to reach the former Speaker, who has been repeatedly named by witnesses.
Tan said, “If there’s direct evidence linking former Speaker Martin Romualdez to the flood-control issue, tapos hindi siya naprosecute, then yes, it will damage the credibility of the investigation. But if there’s no direct evidence, which there has none at this point, none yet, then it should be okay.”
When host Karen Jimeno noted that high-ranking officials rarely deal directly with bribery transactions, Tan agreed but maintained that investigators still need to produce proof. “Kasi talaga namang pag may bribery, hindi na nga talaga sila umaharap. And that’s a fact. But there has to still be evidence kahit papano. Gumawa sila ng paraan,” he said, adding that investigators could “triangulate different ideas” to find evidence if they truly wanted to.
However, bribery is not what Romualdez has been accused of. Witnesses have linked him to alleged kickback arrangements and the facilitation of flood-control project allocations to favored contractors through congressional insertions. Their testimonies described how project funds were supposedly funneled toward a network of companies tied to the House leadership during his term as Speaker—an accusation that goes beyond personal bribery and instead points to systemic misuse of public works allocations.
Tan’s remark came even as witnesses before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee—contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya—testified that lawmakers, including Romualdez, received commissions of up to 25 percent from flood-control project budgets. The couple said they kept ledgers and receipts to record the alleged transactions coursed through intermediaries connected to the House leadership.
Adding further weight to the allegations, Orly Regala Guteza, who identified himself as a former security consultant for Rep. Zaldy Co, claimed he personally delivered “basura” (suitcases of cash) to residences associated with both Co and Romualdez. He testified that 46 suitcases were delivered to Co’s location, of which 35 were forwarded to Romualdez’s home. He even claimed deliveries to addresses like 42 McKinley Street, Taguig (Forbes Park) and a location near Malacañang (Aguado) tied to Romualdez.
During a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco accused Romualdez’s close ally and friend Zaldy Co, then chair of the House Appropriations Committee, of reallocating funds intended for President Bongbong Marcos’s flagship projects into flood-control programs while Romualdez presided as Speaker. Tiangco said the scheme flourished under their watch and that the responsibility ultimately rests with the House leadership. “If the Speaker allows it, then he’s accountable for it,” Tiangco said, adding that Romualdez “cannot wash his hands” of the irregularities.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who had advised the Independent Commission on Infrastructure, echoed that position, saying Romualdez should not be exempted from liability. “Isa na siguro diyan si Speaker Romualdez na dapat makulong diyan. Kasi imposibleng hindi niya alam ang ginagawa ng mga tao niya,” Magalong said, insisting it was implausible for the Speaker to have been unaware of the alleged scheme.
Despite being repeatedly named, Romualdez has never been summoned to attend any of the hearings. The Senate has continued to extend him inter-parliamentary courtesy, while other contractors and officials have been ordered to appear. Tan’s insistence that there is “no direct evidence yet” stood in contrast to that reality—since no direct evidence can be tested or verified without first requiring those implicated to face questioning under oath.
