Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez has requested the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to defer his scheduled hearing on October 22, citing an upcoming medical procedure.
In an advisory issued Saturday, October 18, the ICI confirmed that Romualdez’s second appearance before the body “will no longer push through” and that a new date will be announced once it has been set.
Romualdez, who previously said he wanted to “help speed up” the investigation, first attended the ICI proceedings on October 14, where he provided his side on the alleged irregularities surrounding the 2025 national budget.
He was among those summoned to the inquiry as he served as House Speaker during the 19th Congress, which approved the budget said to contain questionable insertions.
Romualdez was earlier accused, alongside former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, of receiving kickbacks from supposed anomalous flood control projects—a claim later cast into doubt after the affidavit of former Marine Orly Guteza was found to be falsified.
Before attending his initial hearing, Romualdez emphasized his support for transparency, saying, “I believed in transparency and accountability. And that’s why I am here today — to do my part in ensuring that the truth comes out.”
“I am willing to do anything that will help speed up the investigation, because like every Filipino, I want the truth to be established without delay,” he added.
