Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday downplayed the testimonies of the 25 individuals who introduced themselves as former bodyguards of resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
The men were cited in an affidavit of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Last week, Romualdez submitted a supplemental counter affidavit to answer the complaint against him by the Ombudsman for plunder, graft, indirect and direct bribery, and money laundering.
In this document, Romualdez mentioned the testimonies of 25 of Co’s aides.
He said some of the aides were identified by the 18 bodyguards who were with them when they made the alleged deliveries of suitcases containing cash to the former House speaker.
Several of the 25 security aides denied their involvement in the delivery, contrary to the previous claims.
Asked to react to these new testimonies, Remulla said in an interview at the House of Representatives: ‘I don’t think it affects us.’
‘They are trying to make their publicity to make people doubt we have a strong case,’ he said. ‘We have a strong case.’
Ombudsman investigators accused Romualdez and Co of alleged ‘concerted and coordinated acts’ in ‘unlawfully amassing, accumulating and acquiring ill-gotten wealth’ amounting to approximately P56 billion from 2022 to 2025.
Some of these funds were purportedly delivered by the bodyguards through suitcases.
Investigators based their evidence on the testimonies of some of the 18 bodyguards, four of which have recanted their allegations.
Remulla, however, said ‘we are not reliant on those witnesses recanting their testimonies.’
‘The case does not rise and fall with those guards or the people who brought the money. We still have other evidence. We can still prove that,’ he said. /