Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez has countered corruption allegations regarding alleged cash-filled luggage deliveries, arguing that named witnesses have refuted the claims under oath.
In a Supplemental Counter-Affidavit Ex Abundanti Ad Cautelam submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman—led by Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla—Romualdez challenged the credibility of accusations linked to alleged kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.
On page 7 of the filing, Romualdez pointed out major discrepancies in the testimonies:
“In particular, two conflicting sets of claims again emerge.”
According to the affidavit, accusers Christopher Esquivel, Gil Navidad Jr., and Rodante Orbillo identified several individuals as their companions during the supposed cash drops. However, the named individuals submitted sworn statements explicitly denying any participation.
The submission detailed three key contradictions:
- November 21, 2023 Delivery: Esquivel alleged a driver accompanied him to No. 42 McKinley Road.
- No. 14 Narra Incident: Navidad claimed a fellow driver assisted in a delivery to No. 14 Narra.
“Similarly, Navidad identified…a fellow driver during the delivery to No. 14 Narra, but [said driver] has likewise stated, under oath, that he has no knowledge of and was never part of any such delivery, nor was he ever instructed to deliver money to any politician or government official.”
- Five-Person Denial: Romualdez highlighted another contradiction on page 8 involving Orbillo’s claims.
“Orbillo identified…individuals who accompanied him to deliver maletas. Contrary to such claim however, all five have disclaimed any involvement,”
Romualdez emphasized that these conflicting statements undermine the core narrative of the allegations against him.
“The factual discrepancies do not concern immaterial and inconsequential details. They bear a direct relation to the chain supposedly linking me to the purported deliveries of cash-filled suitcases,”
Additionally, the counter-affidavit cited 25 new sworn statements from former staff of former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co—including security personnel, drivers, and administrative employees serving from 2019 to 2026—who all denied involvement in delivering money to politicians.
Romualdez requested that the Ombudsman evaluate these conflicting accounts to determine if the claims against him retain any evidentiary weight.