The Office of the Ombudsman declared it has hard evidence that witnesses in the flood‑control case against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez were paid to withdraw their earlier statements.
In a briefing on Friday, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the witness recantations only raise deeper doubts and do nothing to help Romualdez’s defense—adding that if bribery is proven, they will instead further strengthen the case against the disgraced former Speaker.
“May information tayo na nabayaran yung mga tao na ito para mag‑recant. So there are more questions about the recantations than there are about the first affidavit,” Clavano said.
He revealed investigators now hold a flash drive containing photographs, videos, and screen recordings tied to the alleged payoff scheme.
Former Marine George Villalon Jr. separately alleged witnesses were offered ₱20 million to ₱25 million each to reverse their statements, while lawyer Levito Baligod disclosed evidence of an ₱8‑million offer to convince former security aides to recant.
Clavano emphasized that recantations do not erase original affidavits, which remain part of the evidence as investigators weigh both versions.
“The fact that there are recantations or that affidavits were executed to the effect that they have reversed what they said in their first affidavit does not serve as an eraser of facts,” Clavano said.
“Hindi po tama na dahil lang po may recantation, nabura na yung dati nilang sinasabi. Ang effect po nyan, ang legal effect po nyan ay itatabi po yung dating affidavit doon sa bagong affidavit. Ibig po sabihin dagdag‑ebidensya po yan,” he added.
Five witnesses have recanted, a move Romualdez’s camp has tried to weaponize in questioning the complaint. The Ombudsman, however, stressed that investigators will probe whether there were payoffs and the circumstances surrounding the reversals.
Romualdez now faces multiple complaints before the Ombudsman for plunder, direct and indirect bribery, violations of the Anti‑Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and money laundering tied to the ₱56‑billion flood‑control kickback scheme. Investigators accuse Romualdez, ex‑Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and others of amassing ill‑gotten wealth from 2022 to 2025 through diversion and misuse of public funds.
Political pressure on Romualdez has been escalating, with President Bongbong Marcos using his latest SONA to announce that multiple cases against the disgraced former Speaker are nearing filing—and making it clear that family ties will not shield anyone from accountability. The scandal has ignited outrage across all party lines, with lawmakers demanding that those behind flood‑control corruption face prosecution and imprisonment.
PGMN has attempted to remain courageous and defiant in the face of the over 80 counts/lawsuits Romualdez has filed, fully aware that the whole thing is the former Speaker’s desperate attempt to silence the organization as he currently finds himself in the most vulnerable position of his life. Since declaring war against him two months ago, PGMN has published over 1,300 posts about Romualdez—clearly and honestly exposing him precisely for what he is: the most corrupt Filipino politician of the 21st century.
The barrage has since generated approximately 160 million views across all platforms and is now the most viral anti-corruption campaign against a single person in the history of Philippine social media.
