Ombudsman Remulla: Recantations Won't Halt Romualdez Probe

In a recent ANC 24/7 report, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla faced the media in Quezon City to lay out the state of the flood control investigations. In the heart of typhoon season, billions of pesos meant for flood control projects across Leyte, Cavite, and Metro Manila have instead fueled allegations of massive misuse, leaving families in vulnerable barangays to face repeated inundation that destroys homes, crops, and livelihoods year after year. Remulla stressed that accountability must reach those who divert public funds from their intended purpose. The cases highlight how failed dikes and drainage systems turn routine rains into disasters for ordinary Filipinos who pay taxes expecting protection. With communities still wading through waist-deep water, the stakes involve not just legal proceedings but the daily safety and economic survival of residents in flood-prone areas.

Ombudsman Remulla: Recantations Won't Halt Romualdez Probe

Manila, Philippines – August 7, 2026 — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla told reporters at the Quezon City office that recantations by four of the 18 bagmen will not derail the case against Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Remulla stated the office holds additional evidence beyond the affidavits signed by former bodyguards of fugitive ex-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co. The bagmen had described delivering cash-filled maleta to various officials including Romualdez in connection with DPWH flood control contracts.

Recantation Won't Stop the Case

Remulla emphasized that the Ombudsman possesses multiple lines of evidence including bank records and project documents from the Department of Public Works and Highways. The flood control controversy involves projects in Leyte 1st District where communities in Tacloban and surrounding municipalities suffer yearly flooding that damages homes and crops. Families in these areas have long called for accountability after billions allocated for dikes and drainage failed to prevent disasters.

Romualdez previously questioned the fairness of relying on the bagmen testimonies. Remulla responded that the office will proceed regardless and treat any recanting witnesses as hostile if necessary. This approach keeps pressure on officials linked to the alleged cash deliveries from Zaldy Co who remains at large.

The flood control controversy traces back to DPWH projects funded through national budgets, where Zaldy Co, a former party-list representative now considered a fugitive, allegedly orchestrated a scheme involving cash deliveries in maleta bags to influence contract awards. This pattern echoes earlier scandals such as the PDAF controversy, in which lawyer Levito Baligod played a prominent role exposing misuse of public funds. The 18 bagmen, described as former bodyguards, provided sworn accounts of these transactions tied to flood mitigation contracts in Leyte and elsewhere.

Remulla described the original testimonies as consistent and categorical, meaning they aligned across multiple witnesses on key details of the cash deliveries and recipients. Legally, such uniformity strengthens the case even if some witnesses later recant, because the Ombudsman can rely on corroborating records and proceed by designating recanting individuals as hostile witnesses whose prior statements may still be used in court.

Charges for Covering Up

Remulla announced that the four bagmen who withdrew their sworn statements will face charges for covering up. He noted that some of the 18 appeared eager when signing the original affidavits at the Ombudsman office. The DOJ has recommended cyberlibel charges against lawyer Levito Baligod and the 18 ex-bodyguards while perjury cases remain pending before four Regional Trial Courts.

These developments affect ordinary Filipinos who pay taxes that fund flood mitigation. When accountability stalls, residents in low-lying barangays of Quezon City and Cebu continue to wade through waist-deep water during Pasko season rains, losing livelihoods and school days for children.

Perjury charges target false statements made under oath, while cyberlibel cases arise from online dissemination of allegedly defamatory material related to the affidavits. The four Regional Trial Courts handling the perjury matters will determine whether the withdrawals constitute deliberate falsehoods. The DOJ's recommendation on cyberlibel reflects its role in reviewing complaints before they reach the courts, ensuring procedural steps align with evidence gathered by the Ombudsman.

Treating recanting witnesses as hostile allows prosecutors to challenge their changed testimony and introduce prior statements as evidence. This legal mechanism protects the integrity of the investigation while signaling that attempts to retract sworn accounts carry consequences for those involved in the original disclosures.

Revilla Sister and the Cavite Contracts

Remulla confirmed the Ombudsman is investigating Rebecca Bautista-Ocampo also known as Princess Revilla over DPWH contracts awarded to Graia Construction Corporation. The firm secured 67 contracts totaling P4.72 billion from 2016 to 2025 with 65 located in Cavite the Revilla family political stronghold. The probe examines possible violations of Section 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act on conflict of interest.

Cavite residents who rely on these projects for protection against monsoon floods now question whether family ties influenced contract awards. Workers and farmers in the province have seen repeated project delays that leave their communities vulnerable each typhoon season.

Section 3(h) of Republic Act 3019 prohibits public officials from having direct or indirect financial interest in contracts they influence through their positions. The Revilla political dynasty has long held influence in Cavite, with former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. serving as chairman of the Senate public works committee from 2019 to 2025, a period overlapping much of the contract awards to Graia Construction Corporation.

The timeline shows Graia securing P401.92 million in contracts in 2020, with the total value climbing toward nearly P5 billion by 2025, the bulk concentrated in Cavite municipalities. Residents in these areas, many of them farmers and daily wage workers, have voiced concerns that family connections may have shaped which firms received flood control funding, leaving actual protection measures incomplete.

Legarda, Leviste and the Departure Controversy

Remulla issued a warning to Sen. Loren Legarda and her son Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste after they departed the Philippines on separate flights August 2. Immigration spokesman Dana Sandoval confirmed no derogatory records at departure. Remulla stated they may return in handcuffs if they fail to appear for plunder charges tied to solar power deals described as exclusive service contracts that effectively let them own the sun.

Legarda and Leviste have skipped impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte and ignored NBI summons. Their absence delays scrutiny of projects that could have benefited rural communities in Batangas and Antique where OFW families depend on reliable infrastructure.

The solar power deals involve allegations that exclusive service contracts allowed the pair to control access to renewable energy resources in a manner likened to owning the sun itself, prompting plunder charges under anti-graft laws. The NBI summons sought their appearance for questioning, yet both skipped the proceedings and left the country days before the Ombudsman's press conference.

Remulla's warning that they may return in handcuffs underscores the Ombudsman's authority to pursue arrest warrants for those evading accountability. Their absence also affects ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, where their participation as lawmakers was expected, further stalling legislative oversight of related infrastructure concerns in their home provinces.

Reactions and Responses

Remulla described former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan as a cooperating witness and expressed no frustration over the Sandiganbayan dismissal of a bid to drop Bonoan from a graft case. The Sandiganbayan earlier granted former Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. P1 million bail in his malversation case citing weak prosecution evidence. Remulla said the battle is not final and plans to raise the matter with the Supreme Court chief justice.

Palace press officer Claire Castro reiterated the administration stance on the maleta boys testimonies while respecting the Ombudsman's process. These statements reach communities in Davao and Baguio where residents track every development in graft cases that determine whether flood control budgets reach actual barangay projects.

Bonoan has provided information that assists the investigation, allowing the Ombudsman to build a clearer picture of how DPWH projects were managed. The Sandiganbayan's decision to grant Revilla P1 million bail highlighted perceived weaknesses in the prosecution's evidence at that stage, yet Remulla views the ruling as one step in a longer process rather than a final outcome.

Remulla intends to elevate the bail issue to the Supreme Court chief justice, seeking review of how evidence standards are applied in high-profile graft matters. Palace statements from Claire Castro affirm that the administration supports the Ombudsman's independent role while maintaining its position on the credibility of the bagmen accounts, a stance closely followed by communities nationwide awaiting tangible progress on infrastructure accountability.

What to Watch For

The Ombudsman continues fact-finding on Romualdez and will file additional cases involving contractor Noel Rivera over alleged conflict of interest. Sandiganbayan rulings and any Supreme Court review will shape how quickly funds return to legitimate flood control work. Filipino families in flood-hit provinces await concrete results that translate into safer homes and protected farmlands rather than repeated announcements without follow-through.

Accountability in these cases determines whether jeepney drivers and sari-sari store owners in affected areas can plan for the next rainy season without fear of losing everything to preventable flooding. The Ombudsman's next moves will test the strength of institutions tasked with protecting public resources from diversion.

Fact-finding on Romualdez is approaching completion, with additional graft cases expected against contractor Noel Rivera for alleged conflict of interest in project awards. Outcomes at the Sandiganbayan and potential Supreme Court intervention will determine the pace at which recovered funds can be redirected to actual flood control infrastructure.

Communities in Leyte, Cavite, and Metro Manila continue to monitor these developments, knowing that successful prosecutions could mean the difference between repeated flooding and properly built dikes that safeguard homes and livelihoods during the annual typhoon season.

By Bella Reyes, Staff Writer

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Reporting is based on sources cited in the article.