Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has announced that a series of legal actions are imminent against former House Speaker and current Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez. Within the next two weeks, the anti-graft office expects to file between five and six cases stemming from an alleged multibillion-peso flood control scam.
The Ombudsman clarified during his radio program on Saturday that the recent asset freeze sanctioned by the Court of Appeals (CA) is merely the beginning of a broader legal offensive.
“Actually, isang kaso pa lang ’yan. Pero we have around five to six cases lined up. Sunod-sunod siya i-file within the next two weeks,” Remulla stated, noting that future filings will involve similar actions by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The investigation gained significant momentum following an April 22 ruling by the appellate court, which ordered a 20-day freeze on assets linked to Romualdez and businessman Jose Raulito Paras.
The court found probable cause to suggest these assets were tied to unlawful activities and potential violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Key assets affected by the freeze order include:
- Real Estate: A 3,196-square-meter property in the exclusive South Forbes Park, purchased in 2023 for ₱1.665 billion through Golden Pheasant Holdings Corporation.
- Financial Accounts: Dozens of bank accounts, including 35 specific accounts linked to Romualdez across various major financial institutions, some of which are shared with relatives.
Remulla acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead, citing the influence of those involved.
“Ang kalaban namin dito, akusado sa pagnanakaw sa gobyerno… maraming pera, may kapangyarihan. Hindi ho madali labanan ito,” he remarked, while reassuring the public that the preliminary investigations are being handled with strict adherence to due process.
The probe originated from AMLC findings triggered by an initial Ombudsman complaint accusing Romualdez and his associates of plunder, bribery, and graft in relation to public infrastructure expenditures.