Former Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday said he believes any resource person, including former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, invited by the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) should heed its summons and return to the country.
Romualdez made the remark after the conclusion of an ICI hearing where he was invited to discuss his ‘familiarity and personal knowledge’ of alleged insertions in the national budget.
Co, who was subpoenaed alongside Romualdez, did not attend the hearing.
Asked what he thinks the ICI should do regarding Co’s absence, Romualdez said: ‘The ICI will have resource persons invited here, and we shall await the same.’
‘[But] any resource persons invited here, we expect them to return,’ he added.
Romualdez thanked the ICI for the ‘opportunity to share his side of the story’ and reiterated his commitment to support the body in its investigation.
‘It seems that right now, it’s about facts and evidence, not just political noise or speculations,’ said Romualdez, partly in Filipino.
‘Kaya (That’s why), the ICI commissioners were able to ask me many questions, and I was able to answer them. I feel very, very happy to share the information,’ he added.
Romualdez is among the lawmakers implicated in the flood control corruption scandal after Co’s former security consultant accused him of allegedly receiving kickbacks from government projects-an allegation Romualdez has since denied. /jpv/abc