Ex-House speaker says Chiz allegations a ‘DDS script’
SEN. Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday accused Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez of coming up with a “script” to implicate senators in kickback payments from anomalous flood control projects and divert the public’s attention from the former speaker and other members of the House of Representatives who benefitted from the mess.
He said the script is “very clear”: force former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) involved in flood control projects mess to point to senators as behind the irregularities, while covering the tracks of Romualdez and the other congressmen.
Romualdez said he listened to Escudero’s speech and “with respect, what we heard was not an exposé but a DDS (die-hard Duterte supporter) script,” referring to supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte who is now facing allegations of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.
“The same recycled accusations we have long seen on troll pages and social media posts. Walang bago, at wala ring katotohanan (Nothing new, and no truth to it,” he said
He also said that Escudero, instead of answering serious questions he is facing, “chose to deflect.”
“He did not deny the allegations against him. He did not explain his own role in flood control kickbacks. Instead of explaining, he blamed others,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Escudero was among those tagged last week by a former DPWH official in the flood projects corruption mess.
Romualdez said Escudero’s speech is not about accountability but for his personal ambition.
“It was a performance designed to profess loyalty and service to Vice President Sara Duterte, and to position himself as her ally for 2028. The one being served is not the truth but personal interest and political plans,” he said.
Hours before Escudero’s manifestation in the plenary, the Vice President said Romualdez and his alleged cohorts are on the take from illegal gambling, aside from anomalous flood control projects.
Duterte said she learned this from a source who is from Romualdez’ office. The same source, she said, tipped her camp that the House will “attack” her over her confidential funds (CF). This is the reason they did not spend the CF for the third and fourth quarters of 2023, she said.
In a press conference at the Senate after the budget briefing of the Office of the Vice President, Duterte also said government is “unstable” with what is happening right now as those in power clearly abused “our institutions.”
“They are used for personal gain, and we have already seen the testimony of witnesses about corruption and there is practically nothing happening in our country,” she said.
Palace Press officer Claire Castro called Duterte’s claim a “big lie” as she said the government is stable, and only “obstructionists” that attempt to discredit the administration would claim that.
Romualdez laughed off Duterte’s allegations, saying “it’s not true that I receive illegal gambling money.”
“It’s lamentable that the Vice President, herself, who was impeached by the House for misusing funds, is the one spreading these lies. When the source itself has lost credibility, why should anyone believe these baseless claims?” he said in Filipino.
Romualdez also said stories about alleged “suitcases of cash” delivered to him “are pure fiction.”
REDIRECTED
Escudero, in is manifestation, said the issues on anomalous flood control projects (FCPs) have been redirected to senators even if the Discaya contractors, earlier identified as getting most of the projects, have said that there around 17 congressmen getting kickbacks from the FCP irregularities.
“It is clear that in the past weeks, the people’s anger at these ghost and substandard flood control projects has been diverted — from those who were really behind them to the Senate and some of its members. They are making senators fall guys, away from the House which is the culprit,” Escudero said.
He said the testimony last week of former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo was unbelievable because Bernardo pointed only to him, and former senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Nancy Binay, while the buck stopped at then-Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co.
Escudero said it is impossible that the DPWH official has not talked or have connected with other House members who were involved in the anomalous FCPs, when Brice Ericson Hernandez, a former assistant engineer of Bulacan 1st District, has said his computer files contain the names of congressmen involved in the FCP mess.
He said the DPWH officials always name dropped senators, but never said in their testimonies that they have directly talked or dealt with the lawmakers.
“Why is that? Because apparently, senators are the much bigger fishes, more known by the public, rather than the congressmen. They are hoping that the anger of the people (against congressmen) will die down so they can eventually be freed from any accountability,” he said.
He said Romualdez has been named by the Discaya couple, when they testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, as on the top of the food chain, but was taken back when the couple testified before the House.
He said the “surprise” witness Orly Regala Guteza told the Senate that they have delivered suitcases packed with millions of pesos to Romualdez’ house, but now the former marine soldier’s sworn affidavit was questioned after the notary public denied she signed the document.
Escudero also confirmed a statement of Rep. Toby Tiangco that Romualdez used projects which have been placed on “for later release” (FLR) status to push the impeachment complaint against Duterte. “They told congressmen to sign [the impeachment complaint], otherwise their funds which were placed on FLR will not be released before the [midterm] elections),” he said.
He also said allegations against Romualdez were damning but the latter has not been included in investigations being conducted by the Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
Escudero said these all boil down to the “script” for a “zarzuela” which Romualdez made. – With Jocelyn Reyes
