Is former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan being pressured to implicate Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez in the Ombudsman’s flood control project scam investigation?
Lawyer Ade Fajardo, a spokesman of the two-time former House Speaker, says this might be the case.
In a radio interview, Fajardo says Bonoan is currently under a lot of pressure, given the fact that he is under hospital arrest and might soon be moved to a regular jail.
“So nakakapagtaka po. Kasi nga ngayon siyempre nasa hospital arrest. May posibilidad na siya, halimbawa, ma-clear siya medically ay siya ay ililipat sa regular na kulungan. ‘Yan ay siyempre medyo maraming pressure sa utak niya,” said Fajardo, who was national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) from 2017 to 2019.
(So it is surprising. Because now of course he is under hospital arrest. There is a possibility that if, for example, he is medically cleared, he will be transferred to a regular prison. That naturally puts a lot of pressure on his mind.)
"I think he's more than 80 years old. Sabihin natin nasa takip silim siya sa kanyang pananatili sa ating mundo. Kaya medyo marami ng pressure sa utak ninyo,” he said.
(I think he is more than 80 years old. Let us say he is in the twilight of his stay in our world. That also puts a lot of pressure on your mind.)
The Romualdez spokesman pointed out that it would not be a remote possibility that Bonoan might be asked to fill the “evidentiary gap” on his principal, which he described as two-streams or two-rivers wide.
"In this case, bigla nalang parang nagkaroon ng perfect memory si Sec. Bonoan in case totoo nga yung balita na siya ay tetestigo para lamang ituro itong si dating Speaker Romualdez,” he stressed.
(In this case, it suddenly seemed like Sec. Bonoan had perfect memory, if indeed the news is true that he will testify only to point to former Speaker Romualdez.)
Fajardo reiterated the accusations against the Leyte congressman were just "baseless stories".
“Wala po talagang ebidensya, kasi wala talagang kinalaman si dating speaker dito sa flood control anomaly. ‘Pag ganyan po walang ebidensya pero madami nang sinasabi ang mga kinauukulan na malakas ang kaso, medyo ang dating sa amin po ‘yan ay bola po ‘yan kasi hanggang ngayon walang naisasampang kaso sa korte, walang criminal cases,” he said.
(There really is no evidence, because the former Speaker has nothing to do with this flood control anomaly. When there is no evidence but authorities keep saying the case is strong, to us that comes across as bluff, since up to now no case has been filed in court, no criminal cases,)
“Ibig sabihin, wala pong ebidensya o kakulangan ng ebidensya ay sobrang lawak na mahirap punan ng kwento-kwento lang po,” he added.
(This means that the absence or lack of evidence is such a wide gap that it cannot be filled with baseless stories.)
Fajardo noted that they were alarmed and surprised to learn that the Ombudsman planned to use Bonoan to pin down Romualdez, since the former DPWH secretary and department officials who have been investigated have not linked the ex-Speaker to the flood control projects corruption scandal.
Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), served as House Speaker during the entirety of the 19th Congress and during the first part of the current 20th Congress.
Critics have attributed his alleged links anomalous flood control projects to the notion that he had control over the national budget process--something that the congressman's camp has repeatedly branded as a flawed assertion and downright untrue.
Fajardo further pointed out that there has been no investigation on the Leyte congressman. What is ongoing, based on news reports, is a fact-finding by the Office of the Ombudsman, which has not progressed into a preliminary investigation.
Romualdez is President Marcos' cousin.