One of the legal counsels of Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez just stopped short of saying that the embattled former House Speaker was being singled out as far as the latter's alleged involvement in the flood control projects corruption scandal was concerned.

This, as lawyer Ade Fajardo bared that Romualdez was preparing for the Office of the Ombudsman's preliminary investigation on possible plunder and money laundering charges.

“Handa siyang harapin ang lahat ng paratang na ito. Pero sa tamang proseso, ano po. 'Yun naman ang aming postion, na given an equal play ika nga dito sa mga usaping ito,” Fajardo said in a DZMM radio interview.

(He is ready to face all these accusations. But through the proper process, that is our position—that there should be equal play in these matters.)

Romualdez--in earlier statement--had appealed for "equal justice" and "fair judgement" amid his predicament.

Fajardo described as "alarming" the Office of the Ombudsman's supposed act of pinning down the two-time former House Speaker based on the controversial affidavit of the 18 bodyguards--also known as the "maleta boys"--who allegedly served as bagmen for flood control project payoff.

According to the lawyer, it's only Romualdez who is receiving such treatment.

Fajardo, a former national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) said he could not understand why the OMB would give weight to narratives of the maleta boys which have been determined as lies by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Hindi pinaniniwalaan ng [DOJ] by filing perjury and libel charges against them on the one hand. But on the other hand…the Office of the Ombudsman ay binibigyan tila baga ng bigat etong mga testimonya na ito,” he said.

(The [DOJ] did not believe them, filing perjury and libel charges against them on one hand. But on the other hand…the Office of the Ombudsman seems to give weight to these testimonies.)

Fajardo also noted that in their original affidavit, the bodyguards named more than 20 lawmakers they claimed to have delivered money to. Now apparently, it’s only Romualdez who remains in their stories.

“Napansin natin nung February, ang pinangalanan ng mga maleta boys are more than 20 individuals na hinatiran daw nila ng pera. Ngayon, dahil dinismiss na 'yung mother affidavit, yung original joint affidavit nila, eh tila naubos na lahat ang mga taong yan, officially sa records ng Ombudsman, except na ang naiwan ay si congressman Romualdez,” he said.

(We noticed in February, the ‘maleta boys’ named more than 20 individuals they allegedly delivered money to. Now, since their mother affidavit—the original joint affidavit—was dismissed, all those people are officially cleared in Ombudsman records, except Congressman Romualdez.)

"Yun po an nakakalungkot at nakakabahala dahil para bang nakalock o lahat abswelto, at siya lang ang naiwan dito sa allegation ng maleta boys. Sa kanya o sa amin din, sa ganang amin hindi po ito ang pinangakong pantay-pantay na proseso para sa lahat,” Fajardo stressed.

(That is what is saddening and concerning, because it seems everyone else is absolved, and he alone is left in the allegations of the maleta boys. For him, and for us as well, this is not the promised equal process for all.)

Fajardo reiterated that contrary to speculations, Romualdez is in the country and doing his job as representative of Leyte’s first district.

“Hindi naman tumatakas si Congressman Romualdez na nanatili sa bansa…Inaasikaso niya yung kanyang constituents at siyempre, he is complying with his legislative function as Leyte representative."

(Congressman Romualdez is not evading; he remains in the country…He is attending to his constituents and, of course, complying with his legislative function as Leyte representative.)

He also repeated his assertion that there is no evidence against the former House leader as he was not involved in the enactment of the 2025 national budget, except to sign it, and in the implementation of flood control projects.