Ex-Marine Witness Recants: Marcoleta, Defensor Pressured Me to Frame Romualdez

Ex-Marine Witness Recants: Marcoleta, Defensor Pressured Me to Frame Romualdez

MANILA — In a stunning reversal that threatens to unravel a key Senate narrative, a former Marine security aide has recanted his explosive September 2025 testimony, alleging he was "pressured and deceived" by two detained lawmakers into fabricating claims that linked former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to anomalous flood-control payoffs.

Orly Regala Guteza, a former bodyguard of ex-Congressman Rizaldy Co, executed a new affidavit of recantation obtained by Philstar.com, detailing what he describes as a coordinated plot orchestrated by former congressman Mike Defensor and Senator Rodante Marcoleta. The affidavit, which directly contradicts his appearance before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on September 25, 2025, paints a picture of a low-level security aide caught in a high-stakes political war, used as a pawn, and then abandoned once his usefulness expired.

According to the recantation affidavit, Guteza now admits that his entire testimony regarding Romualdez was "entirely fabricated." He confessed he had absolutely no direct contact with the former Speaker and never witnessed any deliveries of suitcases of money to Romualdez's alleged residence in Forbes Park. The document alleges that the entire scheme was designed to create a "missing link" connecting Romualdez to the multibillion-peso flood-control program under investigation.

The Pasay City Dinner That Started It All

The recantation affidavit claims the plot began on September 24, 2025, when Guteza was invited to a dinner meeting at a restaurant inside a hotel in Pasay City. The meeting, according to the document, was arranged by Defensor's driver, a man known only as "Djiango."

Upon arrival, Guteza alleged he was met by Defensor and a man named Mark, identified in the affidavit as the husband of Defensor's daughter. It was at this dinner that Guteza claims the pressure campaign began in earnest. He stated that Defensor pressured him to claim he witnessed money being hauled from the residence of his former employer, Rizaldy Co.

Guteza alleged that he repeatedly told Defensor he had never seen any suitcases of money being delivered or counted. Despite his protestations, the affidavit claims Defensor insisted on drafting an affidavit containing these false claims. Guteza's sworn statement quotes him telling Defensor to stop, arguing that "Paul and Mark" were the keys to all the Senate questions. The affidavit alleges Defensor replied in Filipino, roughly: "No — we'll just write it, Senator Dante [Marcoleta] will handle it."

The pressure did not end with the dinner. According to the recantation, Senator Marcoleta himself took a hands-on role in perfecting the deception. Guteza alleged that Marcoleta personally edited the draft affidavit on Mark's laptop, refining the Tagalog translation and sharpening the allegations to make them more damaging to Romualdez.

The 'Missing Link' and the INC Complication

The affidavit claims that after reviewing the edited document, Marcoleta expressed satisfaction, calling it the "missing link" that would directly connect Romualdez to the alleged payoffs. Guteza quoted Marcoleta as saying in Filipino: "THIS IS THE MISSING LINK WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL ZALDY CO AND ONLY YOU CAN CONNECT FORMER SPEAKER MARTIN TO DELIVERING THE MONEY."

When Guteza hesitated and suggested that the executive assistants, referred to as Paul and Mark, should testify instead, the affidavit alleges Marcoleta refused. According to Guteza, Marcoleta explained that Paul and Mark could not testify because they are members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) and could face expulsion from their church. This detail, if true, suggests a calculated awareness of the religious and social consequences that would deter other potential witnesses.

Instead of allowing the more direct witnesses to come forward, Guteza alleged that Marcoleta and Defensor pressured him to take the fall. The affidavit claims they promised him cash and educational scholarships for his children as a reward for his cooperation. Guteza admitted he agreed out of fear, confusion, and the lure of these "sweet promises" of financial and educational aid for his family.

To pull off the deception, Guteza even went so far as to return to the notary public to manually alter the year on his original affidavit from "2025" to "2024." This clumsy attempt to hide the lies written in the document suggests a man who was in over his head, trying to cover tracks for a story that was never his own.

Abandoned After the Senate Hearing

During the actual Senate session on September 25, 2025, Guteza served as Marcoleta's "resource person." However, the recantation affidavit claims the experience was far from the triumphant moment Marcoleta had envisioned. Guteza recalled being scolded by the senator during privileged time for "ad-libbing" instead of strictly following the prepared script. This detail reveals the level of control the lawmakers allegedly sought to exert over his testimony.

After his Senate appearance, Guteza said he realized he had been abandoned. He claimed he tried to speak with Marcoleta afterward, but the senator ignored him. He was made to sign a waiver refusing Senate security and was left to walk out of the Senate premises entirely alone, confused, and without support. This stark image of a man left to fend for himself after doing the bidding of powerful politicians is a central theme of his recantation.

The alleged attempts to use him did not end there. On September 27, 2025, a staff member from Marcoleta's office contacted him again, offering the contact number of lawyer Rowena Guanzon to help "correct" his affidavit so it could be used as evidence for a case filing on September 29, 2025. This time, Guteza refused to cooperate, saying he wanted to avoid being used once again by "people thirsty for power."

"I made this sworn statement freely and voluntarily, and I swear that everything stated here is the truth based on my knowledge and belief," Guteza said in Filipino in the recantation affidavit.

Denials and the Shadow of Plunder Charges

In a social media post, Guanzon denied Guteza's allegations, calling him a "liar" and stating she was never a consultant for Marcoleta. Her swift denial adds another layer of complexity to the narrative, though it does not directly address the core allegations against the two senators.

It is important to note that Marcoleta and Defensor are currently detained in Quezon City due to plunder charges. Both were arrested in early July 2026 on Ombudsman-filed plunder charges involving P75 million in alleged undeclared campaign donations. They are co-accused with businessman Joseph Espiritu and are being held at the New Quezon City Jail. These charges are separate from the flood-control investigation and relate to campaign finance, but they cast a long shadow over the credibility of the two politicians.

Guteza was described as a "surprise witness" during the September 2025 hearing, with Marcoleta presenting him and noting that Guteza was referred by Defensor. This connection is now central to the recantation, as it suggests a pre-existing coordination between the two lawmakers to produce a witness who would say what they needed to hear.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation concerns the multibillion-peso flood-control program, a matter of significant public interest given the perennial flooding that affects many parts of the country. The "trash talk" scandal coverage in the Inquirer has highlighted the questionable use of funds intended for flood mitigation, a topic that resonates deeply with ordinary Filipinos who suffer the consequences of inadequate infrastructure every rainy season.

A Small Man Caught Between Powerful Forces

At its heart, this story is about a former security aide, a small man in the grand scheme of Philippine politics, who found himself caught between powerful forces. Guteza's narrative is one of fear, pressure, and the desperate hope for a better life for his children. The promise of scholarships is a powerful lure in a country where educational opportunity can be the difference between poverty and a chance at a better future.

His experience reflects a darker side of political maneuvering, where individuals are used as instruments and discarded when they are no longer needed. The image of Guteza walking out of the Senate alone, after being scolded for not following a script, is a poignant reminder of the human cost of political ambition — the vulnerability of those without political connections who can be swept up in battles they do not fully understand.

The recantation also touches on the delicate issue of religious affiliation, with the alleged claim that Paul and Mark could not testify due to their membership in the INC. This detail, if true, shows a cynical calculation that prioritized political expediency over the truth.

For the public, this development raises serious questions about the integrity of the Senate investigation. If Guteza's recantation is to be believed, it means that a key piece of testimony used to attack a former Speaker was manufactured. This could have significant implications for the credibility of the Blue Ribbon Committee and the ongoing political battles in Congress. The Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the separate plunder charges against Marcoleta and Defensor, now has another layer of allegations to weigh as its work continues.

As the nation digests this latest twist, the focus remains on the truth. Guteza's sworn statement is now a matter of public record, and it demands scrutiny. Whether it will lead to further investigations or be dismissed as the word of a man who has already changed his story once remains to be seen. But for now, the recantation stands as a powerful testament to the pressures that exist within the political system, and a warning about the fragility of testimony when it is obtained under duress.

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Sources: PhilStar.com, Inquirer.net, Manila Standard, Daily Tribune, Context.ph.

By Bella Reyes, Staff Writer