Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla officially identified former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez on Saturday as the high-ranking official whose assets have been frozen by the Court of Appeals (CA).
The announcement follows a CA order issued on April 23, which targeted dozens of financial accounts and properties linked to a then-unnamed legislator. The freeze order is part of a broadening investigation into alleged corruption involving government flood control projects.
During a radio interview, Remulla confirmed the identity of the lawmaker, stating:
“Si former Speaker Martin Romualdez, na-freeze na ’yung kaniyang… May freeze order na.”
According to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the CA directive encompasses 25 bank accounts and 10 insurance policies under Romualdez’s name.
Additionally, the order affects 27 bank accounts, 10 insurance policies, and an investment account belonging to an associate, as well as assets tied to a linked corporation.
Remulla explained the legal mechanism behind the move:
“Court of Appeals kasi doon talaga dinadala ang freeze orders ng AMLC. Diyan talaga sila kukuha ng court order.”
The Ombudsman further revealed that the current freeze is only the beginning of a larger legal offensive.
He noted that while one case has triggered the initial asset freeze, five to six additional cases are scheduled for filing within the next fortnight.
“Actually, isang kaso pa lang iyan, pero we have five to six cases lined up, sunod-sunod iyan ipa-file within the next two weeks. All the cases will involve the same action by the AMLC. Kaya itong sa court, ima-manifest na lang namin sa court may iba pa kaming kaso,” Remulla added.
The cases have already moved into the preliminary investigation stage.
Remulla emphasized that despite the influence of the accused, the Office of the Ombudsman is committed to following strict legal protocols and ensuring due process.
Addressing the difficulty of the investigation, Remulla remarked:
“Ang kalaban namin dito, akusado sa pagnanakaw sa gobyerno. Ito, tiga gobyerno ito, ito maraming pera, may kapangyarihan; hindi ho madaling labanan ito. Kaya lang, binigyan tayo ng kaukulang tungkulin sa batas na gawin ang lahat. At binigyan tayo ng ilang tinatawag na powers of the office para magawa mo ‘yung trabaho. Lagat ‘yan may due process.”
As of press time, the camp of Representative Romualdez has not issued an official statement regarding the Ombudsman’s disclosures or the CA’s freeze order.