THE Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, July 2, 2026, said investigators found the testimonies of eight alleged former bodyguards of resigned Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co to be “categorical and consistent” regarding claims that suitcases containing cash were delivered to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Co.
However, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano IV stressed that the statements have yet to be converted into sworn evidence because the affidavits remain unsigned, slowing the agency’s ongoing case build-up.
“It’s a mere scrap of paper as of right now because it has not been signed and is not under oath. However, the affiants appear to be cooperative and are already willing to sign. Of course, we also want their lawyer to review their statements because seeking legal counsel is part of their rights,” Clavano said in a mix of English and Tagalog.
Clavano pointed to delays in the review of the affidavits by the witnesses’ lawyer, Levi Baligod.
“He (Baligod) seems to be delaying the signatures of these Marines. That’s one of the things that is delaying the case also as against the former Speaker,” Clavano said.
According to Clavano, investigators found the narrations concerning the alleged delivery of money to Romualdez and Co to be categorical and consistent, prompting authorities to focus their investigation on those allegations.
He said investigators decided to prepare separate affidavits after determining that only some of the witnesses personally claimed to have seen or participated in the alleged deliveries.
“The others don’t have a first-hand account of the actual delivery. That is why we decided to draft each affidavit separately because the others don’t have personal knowledge on the delivery. We decided to split their accounts so we can really assess per person what they really saw. And actually, that makes the statements more credible,” Clavano said.
The Ombudsman’s investigation is centered on allegations of conspiracy and plunder involving the former House Speaker.
“That grand case of conspiracy and plunder, the principal architect and mastermind of which is former Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Clavano said, while clarifying that the Ombudsman is not making any determination on the ultimate credibility of the witnesses or the guilt of any respondent, as those matters will be for the courts to decide should formal cases be filed.
Complaint
The allegations stemmed from a complaint filed by a group of former security personnel who claimed they previously served as bodyguards of Co.
Earlier this 2026, 18 self-proclaimed former bodyguards, represented by Baligod, surfaced with allegations that they had been tasked to transport suitcases allegedly containing cash from kickbacks linked to government flood control projects to several public officials.
Those claims prompted separate fact-finding investigations by the Office of the Ombudsman, while the National Bureau of Investigation looked into the identities and backgrounds of the witnesses.
One of the alleged former bodyguards earlier told investigators that he personally delivered about 20 suitcases marked with amounts ranging from P40 million to P80 million on one occasion.
In a statement, Romualdez’s spokesperson, Elaine Atienza, vehemently denied the accusations, noting that despite numerous Senate and House inquiries and other official investigations, no former or incumbent official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ever identified the former speaker as having participated in the planning, procurement, implementation, inspection, payment, or release of funds for any alleged ghost project.
“Even former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, despite all opportunities in the past and who had firsthand knowledge of the department’s operations, never implicated Rep. Romualdez. The reason is simple — because Rep. Romualdez was not involved,” she said.
“The Speaker has absolutely no authority over project bidding, contract awards, implementation, inspections, payments, or the release of government funds,” Atienza said.
She pointed out that the release of government funds does not fall under the Speaker’s authority, as such functions are vested by law in the Executive Branch.
“Kung may nagkasala, papanagutin natin. Pero huwag nating gawing shortcut ang paghahanap ng isang malaking pangalan para lang may maipakita sa publiko (If someone committed a wrongdoing, they should be held accountable. But let us not resort to shortcuts by looking for a big name just to have something to show the public),” Atienza said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)