Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco is openly questioning the sudden collapse of witness statements against Martin Romualdez, calling the timing of the recantations suspicious as the former House speaker is forced to answer the Ombudsman’s flood-control probe just as pressure mounts.
“They recanted one day before the deadline for Martin Romualdez to answer? Such wonderful timing,” Tiangco said.
The four former bodyguards of Zaldy Co withdrew accusations that they delivered cash to Romualdez and others. They now claim their original statements were false, signed after promises of financial assistance and pressure before the Ombudsman.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla rejected that story. He said the witnesses freely answered questions, signed affidavits and accompanied investigators to alleged delivery sites. He then accused Romualdez’s camp of being behind the reversals.
Romualdez denied involvement and accused the Ombudsman of prejudice.
But the recantations triggered a new claim. George Villanon Jr., one of the remaining witnesses, said members were offered ₱20 million to ₱25 million each to switch sides. Lawyer Levito Baligod said attempts had gone on for months, with offers allegedly rising from ₱5 million to ₱10 million, and showed reporters a message from one recanter apologizing for giving in to “temptation.”
Eight of the 18 former bodyguards submitted affidavits to the Ombudsman. Three have recanted; a fourth recanter was not among the eight.
Ten remaining witnesses were later arrested after failing to post bail on perjury charges tied to their accusations.
The reversals do not erase the preliminary investigation into plunder, graft and bribery against Romualdez. They turn the witness battle into another front in a case drowning in accusations of money, pressure and political interference.
PGMN has remained courageous and defiant in the face of the over 80 counts/lawsuits Romualdez has filed, fully aware that the whole thing is Romualdez’ desperate attempt to silence the organization as he currently finds himself in the most vulnerable position of his life. Since declaring war against Romualdez two months ago, PGMN has published almost 1,000 posts about Romualdez, honestly and brutally exposing him precisely for what he is: the most corrupt Filipino politician of the 21st century.
The barrage has since generated approximately 140 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.
