House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City Rep. Ronnie Puno backed Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chair Ping Lacson in maintaining that there is, so far, no evidence directly linking former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to the alleged flood control corruption.
Puno said investigations should be guided by evidence and fairness, warning against turning serious allegations into political theater in the absence of proof. He welcomed Lacson’s statement that the Senate inquiry has not produced sworn testimony or documentary evidence implicating Romualdez, adding that investigations cannot proceed on conjecture, political pressure, or unsubstantiated claims.
In a radio interview, Lacson said that aside from Orly Guteza, no other witness surfaced to implicate Romualdez in the alleged anomalous flood control projects. Puno also expressed confidence that Lacson could not be pressured or dictated on how to conduct the investigation.
House Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V echoed Lacson’s position and urged critics to stop applying political pressure after the senator said there was no evidence linking Romualdez to the controversy. Ortega said accountability is important but cannot be built on rumors or unsubstantiated claims, adding that the absence of affidavits and documentation leaves no basis for further action.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong likewise welcomed Lacson’s statement, saying that without factual evidence, sworn statements, and supporting documents, there is nothing to pursue. Adiong said the allegations raised by Guteza remain unsubstantiated and warned that manufacturing allegations without evidence undermines due process. He added that public officials are entitled to the same standard of fairness expected of any citizen.
While Romualdez’s allies have pointed to the absence of sworn testimony to argue against further proceedings, the Senate inquiry left several matters outside the official record.
One unresolved issue involves alleged Romualdez bagman Sofonias “Ponyong” Gabonada, who served as House Deputy Secretary General during Romualdez’s speakership. Gabonada was publicly accused by Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib of possessing unexplained wealth far beyond what could be justified by his reported ₱200,000 monthly salary as a House official.
Jubahib alleged that Gabonada owns a ₱30-million house in Tagum City filled with luxury vehicles, a ₱50-million beach resort in Davao de Oro, and heavy equipment valued at more than ₱200 million. Senator Ronald dela Rosa said during one Senate hearing that Gabonada should be summoned to testify, but Gabonada was never ordered to appear before the Senate.
Another aspect of the inquiry involved allegations that members of the so-called Bulacan Group of Contractors (BGC) laundered flood control funds through casinos. In a privilege speech, Lacson cited information obtained from PAGCOR regarding large casino transactions allegedly involving the group.
Despite these claims, the Lacson-led Blue Ribbon Committee did not summon casino representatives to testify. The hearings did not include sworn testimony from casino operators regarding the alleged use of fake names and IDs or the reported conversion of cash into chips later declared as winnings, as alleged by Lacson.
Puno, meanwhile, is a senior leader of the National Unity Party. He previously initiated an ethics complaint against Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga, a fellow NUP member and vocal critic of Romualdez, following Barzaga’s public allegations of corruption. 𝙋𝙪𝙣𝙤 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙪𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙤𝙟𝙞𝙚 𝘿𝙮.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control corruption controversy is scheduled to resume on January 19, according to Lacson.
