The referral submitted by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to the Office of the Ombudsman contained no finding of guilt or liability against former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez, his lawyer said on Monday.
Lawyer Ade Fajardo, counsel for Romualdez, confirmed receipt of the ICI referral filed with the Ombudsman last November 21.
He said it “incorporates all evidence presented by former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez— his sworn affidavit, complete transcripts, and the full audio-video recording of his voluntary appearance before the Commission last October 14.”
“Importantly, the ICI explicitly states that the Referral ‘is issued without any finding or conclusion of guilt or liability on the part of former Speaker Romualdez,’” Fajardo said.
“This clear statement reinforces our confidence in the Commission’s impartiality and reinforces the constitutional role of the Ombudsman as the sole authority empowered to make determination on accountability,” he added.
Fajardo stressed: “We trust that the Ombudsman will conduct an independent, thorough and objective review of the evidence submitted. From the outset, we have consistently maintained that a fair and complete assessment of the record will reflect the truth.”
The Ombudsman has begun evaluating the records submitted by the ICI regarding the questionable flood control projects.