THE Office of the Ombudsman is looking into the possibility of filing plunder complaints against four former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co who recanted their allegations linking several personalities, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, to the flood-control scandal.
In a press conference, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said there are indications that the panel of investigators may implead the four individuals as part of the plunder case against Romualdez.
Levito “Levi” Baligod, who serves as legal counsel for the former security personnel of Co, earlier said that Belnard Tube, Rosebert Waupan, Benny Bulontate, and Cecilio Larroder had recanted their earlier statements, particularly their allegations about the delivery of millions of pesos in cash-filled suitcases to Romualdez and several other personalities.
The statements of the four individuals were used by the Office of the Ombudsman in preparing a “grand case” against Romualdez for alleged conspiracy to defraud the national treasury and money laundering in connection with an alleged anomalous budget-insertion scheme involving billions of pesos in flood-control funds.
Clavano said the Ombudsman’s panel of investigators has yet to receive a copy of the four individuals’ recantation, although Baligod had turned over to them a USB device containing pictures, videos, screenshots, and video recordings related to their decision to recant.
“The investigators do plan to include them as part of the plunder charge. Dahil kung hindi sila magiging witness namin, then they are merely respondents in a crime where they delivered billions of pesos to the respondents in this case,” he said.
Clavano also questioned the content of the recantation, saying it was too general compared with the detailed allegations contained in the witnesses’ earlier affidavits.
“And if you will notice, ‘yung lumabas po na recantation ay napaka-general yung denial. Hindi niya ni-recant yung bawat punto ng affidavit nila dati. Yung affidavit nila dati ay napaka-detalyado. At ‘yung recantation naman ay isang dokumento na ang laman lang po ay isa, dalawang pahina lang,” he said.
Clavano added that the courts could scrutinize the circumstances surrounding the recantation, particularly if the Ombudsman can establish that the witnesses were given consideration in exchange for changing their statements.
He said this could strengthen the Ombudsman’s position that the witnesses’ original affidavits were truthful.
Clavano also questioned the timing of the recantation, noting that it came a day before Romualdez filed his counter-affidavit in the complaints against him.
He said Romualdez filed his counter-affidavit on Aug. 7, which included the recantation of the former security personnel.
“Well, of course, the Office of the Ombudsman has already taken steps to go ahead with the case kahit wala sila. So nasa sa kanila yun. Kung gusto talaga nilang bumalik sa dati nilang affidavit, they're welcome to do so. Pero we have to prepare also for the scenario na hindi talaga sila babalik. Kaya po, pag hindi sila bumalik, talagang isasama sila sa charge ng plunder at non-bailable po yan,” Clavano said.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 27, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Ombudsman would soon file charges against Romualdez in connection with the flood-control anomalies.
Marcos said that although it pains him that a family member was implicated in the controversy, he has to do what is right. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)