THE notarization of the sworn affidavit of retired Marine Orly Guteza, who claimed to have been a former security personnel of embattled Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, was falsified, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Friday, November 14, 2025.
During the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe into the flood control anomalies, Lacson said based on the examination conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the signature attached to Guteza’s sworn affidavit and the standard specimen signatures of Lawyer Petchie Roze Espera “were not written by one and the same person.”
“Since it was found that Attorney Espera has not notarized the sinumpaang salaysay, her notarial details including her signature contained in the said document are falsified,” Lacson said.
Despite this, Lacson said Guteza’s sworn affidavit remains valid.
“The sinumpaang salaysay remains valid as far as this committee is concerned. Nagkaroon lang naman siya ng problema sa kanyang pagka-notaryo and hindi naman po siya sumipot sa DOJ (Department of Justice) at sa [Office of the] Ombudsman so wala tayo magagawa doon,” Lacson said.
(The sworn statement remains valid as far as this committee is concerned. The issue was only with its notarization, and she did not appear before the DOJ and the Ombudsman, so there is nothing we can do about that.)
“As far as the committee is concerned, ‘pag tayo po ay nag-submit ng ating committee report, ang kanyang sinumpaang salaysay remains valid dahil ‘yun naman ay sinumpaan niya bukod dito sa harapan ng komite,” he added.
(But as far as the committee is concerned, when we submit our committee report, his sworn statement remains valid because he swore to it not only in writing but also here before the committee.)
During the panel’s hearing on September 25, Guteza submitted his sworn affidavit before the panel, where he narrated the delivery of millions worth of cash, which they called “trash,,” contained in several suitcases to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez from Co, who were both accused of pocketing billions in public funds from anomalous flood control projects.
Lacson said the committee invited Guteza to attend the hearing again, but he was nowhere to be found. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)