Malacañang has pressed authorities to unmask the individuals who may have orchestrated the alleged fabrication of testimony regarding the flood control issue, following a complete retraction by former security aide Orly Guteza.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated during a Thursday news conference that the investigation must extend beyond Guteza’s simple recantation.
Castro stressed that investigators must examine whether the initial accusations were manufactured, verify the truthfulness of his current statements, and identify any entities who may have pressured him.
“Kung sino ang mastermind sa pagpapagawa ng ganitong klaseng mga scenario, sampahan ng kaso,” Castro said.
Guteza, a retired Marine who previously provided security for former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, had earlier claimed in Senate testimony that he transported luggage containing cash intended for former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. He later recanted these assertions.
In an affidavit executed on August 13, Guteza stated he lacked direct personal knowledge regarding any cash transfers. He further alleged that Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor coerced him into detailing the false narrative.
Palace officials underscored that the critical issue centers on whether fraudulent statements are deliberately being generated to derail investigative efforts. Castro cautioned that fabricated stories and compromised evidence threaten the integrity of the inquiry by shifting focus away from those genuinely responsible for project irregularities.
“Mas makakasira siya sa paghabol sa mga tao na dapat managot,” she noted.
Despite these developments, Malacañang noted that Guteza’s recantation should not be accepted without scrutiny.
Castro indicated that investigating bodies must evaluate his latest assertions against his original claims and existing physical evidence.
“Dapat po ma-check, mabalanse lahat,” she added.
Castro advised that oversight entities, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman, must evaluate potential legal action if evidence confirms that witness statements were systematically manipulated.