ORLY Regala Guteza, a retired Philippine Marine who said he worked as a former security consultant of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, yesterday told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that he and his colleagues allegedly delivered suitcases loaded with millions of pesos to the condominium unit of the congressman in Taguig City and to the house of former Speaker Martin Romualdez in Forbes Park.
Guteza was presented to the committee by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who said the retired Marine was introduced to him by former Quezon City congressman Mike Defensor.
The Philippine Marines said TSgt Guteza retired from the military service on June 29, 2020 after 22 years and seven months in the service.
His last unit assignment was at the Security Detail Unit (SDU) at the General Headquarters.
Guteza told senators that he was hired by Co as a security consultant in December 2024.
In his testimony before the Senate panel, Guteza said he regularly assigned to bring “garbage (basura),” which he said referred to suitcases loaded with money, from Co’s house in Valle Varde 6 in Pasig City to his condominium unit at the 56th floor of the Horizon Residences in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig and to the house of Romualdez at 42 McKinley Street, also in Taguig.
He said each of the suitcases usually contained P48 million, which he said were scribbled on a post-it pasted on each of the luggage.
“Tuwing may duty detailed ‘basura,’ may pupunta na tao na mag-dedeliver ng basura at i-re-receive ni John Paul Estrada at Mark Tecsay, ang mga executive assistant ni Congressman Zaldy Co at sila ang mga detailed sa mga ganyan activities (Whenever there is a garbage delivery, some people would bring the money which are received by John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay, they are the executive assistants of Congressman Zaldy Co, they are the ones assigned for such activities),” he said in his sworn affidavit.
He said there was one instance when ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap reportedly delivered 46 suitcases to Co’s house in Valle Verde 6.
He said that after Estrada and Tecsay counted the money, they brought the 46 suitcases to Co’s Taguig condominium unit.
“Bago ibaba ang nasabing basura, ito ay bawas na. Halimbawa, nag- akyat kami ng apatnapu’t anim (46) maleta, ibababa lang namin ay tatlumpu’t limang (35) maleta para ideliver sa mga bahay ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez sa 42 McKinley Street, Taguig. Ang labing isang (11) maleta ay naiwan sa taas sa 56th floor Horizon Residences (We only brought down 35 suitcases and left the 11 others at the condominium unit. We then delivered the suitcases to the house of Speaker Martin Romualdez at 42 McKinley Street in Taguig),” he said.
“Humigit kumulang tatlong beses ako mismo ang nag-deliver ng basura sa bahay ni Congressman Zaldy Co sa Horizon Residences at sa mga bahay ni Speaker Romualdez sa 42 MicKinley street, Taguig (There were at least three times that I delivered the ‘garbage’ to the house of Congressman Zaldy Co in Horizon Residences, and the house of Speaker Romualdez at 42 McKinley street, Taguig ),” he added.
He said they also delivered money to Romualdez’s house which was formerly owned by former presidential adviser Michael Yang. They likewise brought suitcases of money to the former Speaker’s house in Aguado Street in the city of Manila, he added.
When he is off duty, Guteza said he would monitor the movement of his colleagues through their group chat and the delivery of cash to Co and Romualdez were done at least three times a week.
Guteza said he opted for early retirement from the marines in June 2020 at the age of 42, and was employed in different government offices and private companies until he was hired by Co.
He said he resigned as security consultant to Co last August 5, adding that the congressman supposedly employed around 90 security personnel, mostly from the military, while a few are from the Police Security and Protection Group.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who was present during the hearing, said Guteza will be admitted to the Witness Protection Program since he did not commit any crime.
‘COACHED WITNESS’
Romualdez said Guteza’s testimony was “an outright and complete fabrication.”
“I was deeply surprised to hear the allegation raised against me today before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee – that several pieces of luggage supposedly containing money were ever delivered to a residence associated with me,” Romualdez said in a statement.
“The so-called testimony of Sen. Marcoleta’s witness is an outright and complete fabrication – nothing more than a desperate attempt to link me to supposed kickbacks where none exist. Pilit na pilit (It’s too forced),” he added.
Romualdez said the “most telling flaw” in Guteza’s testimony was his claim that deliveries were made to McKinley beginning December 2024.
“Imposible iyan (That’s impossible) That property has been under renovation since January 2024 and was unoccupied except for construction workers. Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus – false in one thing, false in everything,” he said.
The former Speaker said the testimony was “clearly political and the product of coaching.”
“I will not allow these perjurious statements to pass unchallenged. Hindi ko ito palalampasin. I won’t let this pass),” Romualdez said, as he maintained that he “never received or benefited from kickbacks in any infrastructure project.”
“I have never authorized, instructed, or allowed anyone to engage in any conduct that would betray the people or taint my name,” he said.
Romualdez said he is ready for a “fair, transparent, and impartial investigation to expose these falsehoods.”
He said he resigned as Speaker “precisely to demonstrate my full support for the inquiry into flood control issues.”
Romualdez said he had “remained silent out of respect for the process,” but now that his name has been dragged into the controversy, he vowed: “I will fight back – not with rhetoric, but with evidence.”
“Kahit kailan, hindi ako nagnakaw ng pondo ng bayan. Hindi ko kailangan ang perang galing sa masama (I have never stolen public funds. I don’t need dirty money),” he said.
“To the Filipino people, I give you this solemn assurance: I will never betray your trust,” he added.
Yap, who represents Benguet, denied “any involvement in the acts being alleged.” “I have never accepted, nor authorized, the delivery of money in connection with flood control projects. These claims are untrue.”
“I was disheartened to hear my name mentioned in today’s Senate hearing on alleged irregularities in flood control projects. To be implicated in such matters is painful, not only for myself, but also for the people I have pledged to serve with integrity,” he said in a statement.
Yap, a former chair of the House Committee on Appropriations during the Duterte administration, said he knows very well that he is accountable to the people, being a public servant.
The lawmaker said he welcomes the chance to face the witness who implicated him “but in the proper forum and under proceedings where my constitutional rights are respected.”
“I owe it to my constituents, my family, and the Filipino people to clear my name in the right way,” he said. “My work has always been guided by service, not self-interest. I remain steadfast in that mission, and I am confident that, in the end, truth and justice will prevail and the real culprits and heartless criminals who perpetrated this outrage against the nation unmasked and exposed.”
ILBO
Remulla said an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order has been issued against Co on the request of Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon.
With the ILBO, Remulla said the DOJ is working to trace the movements of Co, including reports that he is in Madrid, Spain.
“We’re trying to track him,” he told reporters, saying they are verifying reports of an alleged boarding pass of Co posted on social media by netizens showing him on a flight to Madrid, Spain.
“We received information about the said boarding pass but we will have to validate it,” he said.
Remulla clarified that an ILBO will not prevent an individual from leaving the country as it is only meant to alert authorities on the individual’s travel activities, such as his or her arrival or departure dates, the purpose of travel and the destination.
He said only a preventive hold departure order (PHDO) issued by a court can prevent an individual from leaving the country. – With Ashzel Hachero and Wendell Vigilia
