A former aide of Zaldy Co told the Sandiganbayan on Thursday that he turned down an offer of as much as ₱20 million in exchange for retracting his allegations against former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.
Prosecution witness Rodante Orbillo made the revelation on Oct. 15, the third day of hearings on Romualdez’s bail petition in connection with the ₱7.4-billion plunder case. Romualdez remains detained as the proceedings continue.
“P15 million pataas,”
Orbillo told Associate Justice Ronald Moreno when asked how much was offered. He said the amount reached ₱20 million and mentioned a separate ₱8-million offer.
Orbillo identified Benny Bulontate, another accuser who later recanted, as the person who tried to persuade him. He also claimed Bulontate accepted money to withdraw his own allegations, although he did not know the amount.
Asked why he refused, Orbillo said he had previously been falsely accused of frustrated murder and wanted to stand by his account of working for Co.
“Ito na lang po ang totoong nangyari sa buhay ko, iyong trabaho kay Cong Zaldy Co. Kaya hindi niya ako nakumbinsi,” he testified.
Orbillo also described deliveries of cash in suitcases to Romualdez. He said the money was counted at Co’s house before delivery.
“Nasa maleta po, bundled na. Maamoy niyo po iyong bagong pera. Nasusuya na nga po ako [sa amoy].”
He said he believed a Forbes Park house was linked to Romualdez because he saw a man he identified as Romualdez’s driver there. Orbillo claimed he also delivered money to Romualdez at three other locations.
Orbillo further alleged delivering kickbacks to Vicente Sotto III, Stella Quimbo and Antonio Trillanes IV between 2022 and 2024. Trillanes denied the accusation. He had left the Senate in 2019, while Sotto’s previous term ended in June 2022.
Orbillo said he and the other witnesses took instructions solely from their lawyer, Atty. Levito Baligod. Earlier, Ombudsman Boying Remulla disclosed offers from the Romualdez camp aimed at convincing the former bodyguards to recant their statements.
