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MINALIIT ng kampo ni dating House Speaker at incumbent Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez ang nakaumang na kasong plunder kaugnay ng maanomalyang flood control projects ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Ayon kay Atty. Ade Fajardo na tumatayong abogado ng dating lider ng Kamara, rekomendasyon lang aniya ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ang pagsasampa ng kaso.
Giit ni Fajardo, walang nasisilip na ebidensya ang Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) na inatasan magsagawa ng imbestigasyon sa tinaguriang flood control scandal na kinasasangkutan ng mga mambabatas, DPWH officials at mga kontratista.
“We take note of the DPWH Secretary’s statement,” wika ni Atty. Fajardo. “However, it is important to clarify that a DPWH ‘recommendation’ is not a finding, much less a determination of guilt.”
“It is not true that the ICI has recommended to the Ombudsman that former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez be charged with plunder or other serious crimes related to the flood control or 2025 budget issue. In fact, the ICI made it clear in their referral report that it was “issued without finding or conclusion of guilt or liability on the part of former Speaker Romualdez,” dagdag pa ni Fajardo.
Gayunpaman, nilinaw ni Fajardo na iginagalang ni Romualdez ang proseso ng hustisya at hihintayin ang magiging resulta ng pagsusuri ng Ombudsman sa mga ebidensya at hindi sa press conference soundbites.
Ayon kay Public Works Sec. Vince Dizon, hiniling ng ahensya ang pagsasampa ng plunder at iba pang kasong kriminal laban sa 87 personalidad kasama sina Romualdez at Senators Joel Villanueva at Jinggoy Estrada.
