Malacañang maintained that it is now up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to determine whether former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez may qualify as a state witness in the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the government’s flood control projects.
The statement came from Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro following Romualdez’s appearance before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday, October 14.
According to Castro, the DOJ will assess Romualdez’s testimony to determine if he meets the criteria to become a state witness.
“Depende sa kanyang magiging salaysay at kung ano ang kanyang mailalahad at depende na rin po iyan sa Department of Justice kung siya ba ay maituturing na isang state witness,” she said.
Castro added that the decision would ultimately require a court recommendation.
“Lahat po iyan ay depende sa lahat ng mangyayari. So hindi pa po natin masasabi kung siya’y puwedeng maging state witness o hindi,” she noted.
It may be recalled that a witness before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee earlier revealed that he had personally delivered bags of cash to the residences of Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, both allegedly linked to kickbacks from the controversial flood control projects.
ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka, meanwhile, said that during his appearance before the commission, Romualdez denied receiving any kickbacks and did not implicate anyone directly involved in corruption. Instead, he reportedly discussed those who participated in drafting the national budget.
After attending the ICI hearing on Monday, Romualdez was asked about what he thought former Appropriations Committee Chair Zaldy Co—who has yet to return to the Philippines—should do in light of the ongoing investigation.