The Office of the Ombudsman is finalizing a second money laundering complaint against Leyte Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in connection with the multibillion-peso flood control scandal, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced Saturday.
“A second money laundering case against Martin Romualdez is being prepared, it will be soon,” Remulla said on his radio program “Executive Session” on dzRH.
Remulla disclosed that his office has also drafted a 61-page complaint alleging conspiracy to commit plunder — a charge that implicates members of both chambers of Congress. “First draft complaint with 61 pages,” he said, describing it as containing accusations of conspiracy to commit plunder involving “both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
The Ombudsman chief said his office is currently running between 35 and 45 separate investigations into anomalies tied to flood control projects. He indicated that additional complaints could be filed by September.
A partial report from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, recently transmitted to the Ombudsman, has strengthened the agency’s case-building efforts. Remulla described it as “very useful to us because it will supplement our efforts in investigating those who profited and took part” in the scandal. Earlier reports indicated the Senate panel’s recommendations include charges against Romualdez, Senators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva, former congressman and fugitive Zaldy Co, and other government officials.
Despite its value, Remulla said his office would still “need to validate” the Senate report and the accompanying transcripts before relying on them in formal proceedings.
Romualdez already faces existing legal exposure from earlier actions in the case. The Court of Appeals has issued freeze orders covering several bank accounts and insurance policies linked to him, and the Sandiganbayan has issued a hold departure order preventing him from leaving the country.
