Staring at possible plunder charges in the face, Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez is neither fazed nor frazzled with confronting the flood control project mess allegations that have been stuck to his name for months now.

"Nakahanda si former Speaker Romualdez na harapin ang proseso (Former Speaker Romualdez is ready to face the process)," the veteran congressman's legal counsel, lawyer Ade Fajardo, said Sunday, July 19.

This, as the Office of the Ombudsman continues to tease the imminent filing of plunder charges against Romualdez.

Fajardo says his client isn't running away. Romualdez has remained in the country and continues to do his job as Leyte 1st district representative.

“Nandito po siya. Siya po ay abala bilang kinatawan ng Leyte at, siyempre, hindi siya tumatakas. Willing siya to face everything kung meron mang sinasabing ebidensya," he said.

(He is here. He is busy as the representative of Leyte and, of course, he is not evading. He is willing to face everything if there is any evidence being presented.)

The lawyer said Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), would comply with the processes of the Office of the Ombudsman.

However, he pointed out there has been no preliminary investigation yet.

"Inaamin ng ginagalang nating Ombudsman na hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring preliminary investigation. At hindi pa siya nasu-subpoena ng Office of the Ombudsman," Fajardo, former national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), noted.

(The respected Ombudsman admits that until now, there is still no preliminary investigation. And he has not yet been subpoenaed by the Office of the Ombudsman.)

Fajardo said his client should be given the opportunity to formally answer any complaint against him.

"Kami po ay nababahala dito dahil ang dating Speaker ay kailangang bigyan ng pagkakataon na sumagot formally sa mga paratang na ito bago magkaroon ng conclusion,” he said

(We are concerned about this because the former Speaker must be given the opportunity to formally respond to these allegations before any conclusion is reached.)

He went on to reiterate the Romualdez camp's main argument against any case or accusation of wrongdoing.

"Talagang walang patunay o ebidensiya sa kanya tungkol sa flood-control anomalies. Wala pa pong preliminary investigation, nasa case build-up status po now," Fajardo said.

(There is truly no proof or evidence against him regarding the flood-control anomalies. There is still no preliminary investigation; the case is now in build-up status.)

He said the former House leader had no participation in flood control project funding and implementation. "Napakasimple lang actually. Kasi kung wala ka namang participation, talagang maa-anticipate mo na wala namang ebidensya."

(It is actually very simple. Because if you had no participation, you can anticipate that there would indeed be no evidence.)

Fajardo assailed and branded as "not credible" the changing testimonies of the so-called 18 bodyguards, who kept bringing up Romualdez in connection with cash luggages ("maletas") and anomalous flood control projects.

The Romualdez counsel pointed out that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) had found no liability on the part of the former Speaker.

"Kung ating babalikan, mismong ICI ang naglabas sa kanilang imbestigasyon na wala silang mahanap na liability. Ganyan po ang expressed findings ng ICI nang dalhin ang records sa Office of the Ombudsman," he said.

(If we look back, it was the ICI itself that released in their investigation that they could not find any liability. Those were the expressed findings of the ICI when the records were brought to the Office of the Ombudsman.)

He says that his principal is ready to answer the allegations once formally required by the Ombudsman.

"Hindi po tumatakas sa kanyang pananagutan si dating Speaker na harapin ang lahat ng ito. Boluntaryo siyang bumaba bilang Speaker para bigyang-daan ang imbestigasyon."

(The former Speaker is not evading his responsibility to face all of this. He voluntarily stepped down as Speaker to give way to the investigation.)