Ombudsman says Romualdez, Escudero used 'sophisticated methods to commit plunder' in flood control scam

By Czarina Nicole Ong Ki

The Office of the Ombudsman said on Tuesday, April 7, that former House speaker Martin Romualdez and former Senate president Chiz Escudero “used sophisticated methods" to commit the crime of plunder in the flood control scam.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, in an interview, said: "We are dealing with very sophisticated methods that really need to be decoded, and the scheme by which money was plundered appears to be clean."

This was Clavano’s answer to a question on why the delay in the preparation of the plunder charges even if Romualdez and Escudero have long been named by key players in the flood control scam.

Clavano said the crime of plunder is very complex, and not like other crimes where they can easily pinpoint the suspect and the weapon used to commit the crime.

He explained that the documents involved in the crime of plunder do not come to the Ombudsman voluntarily, and the office needs to go through everything "step by step" to get to the truth.

At the same time, Clavano said the development of witnesses is very underrated as many started off withholding critical information because they were unsure how they would fare in the case.

"We are trying to make sure that all of these are clear to the Office of the Ombudsman. So, once we present them in court, they are just as clear to the justices of the Sandiganbayan," he pointed out.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday that plunder charges are being readied by his office against Romualdez and Escudero.

Remulla said that "there was a conspiracy to commit plunder," and the case is "flood control related in many ways."

He also said that the charges are set to be filed within the month of May, as they are currently "tying up" loose ends.

"It's actually the way that the budget was passed upon with the two Houses and how many things happened to have been implemented because of that," he said.