Romualdez to file supplemental counter affidavit with Ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez will file a supplemental counter-affidavit with the Office of the Ombudsman, which will contain sworn statements of 25 former drivers and security aides of ex-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co.

In a statement on Thursday, Romualdez’s lawyer Ade Fajardo said part of the supplemental counter affidavit is the reported recantation of Orly Guteza, another former bodyguard of Co who claimed that he delivered luggage with money to Romualdez, when he was House of Representatives Speaker.

“Representative Martin Romualdez will be filing today a Supplemental Counter-Affidavit with the Ombudsman, attaching to it sworn statements of 25 other former drivers and security aides of Representative Zaldy Co.  Isasama na rin natin dyan ang napabalitang pagbaliktad ni Mr. Orly Guteza (Representative Martin Romualdez will be filing today a Supplemental Counter-Affidavit with the Ombudsman, attaching to it sworn statements of 25 other former drivers and security aides of Representative Zaldy Co.  We will include the reported recantation made by Mr. Orly Guteza), ” Fajardo said.

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READ: Guteza recants: Marcoleta, Defensor tapped me to accuse Romualdez

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“They have come forward and directly contradicted the earlier accounts of the 18 Maleta Boys presented by Atty. Baligod.  Ayon sa kanila, walang naganap na anumang delivery ng pera sa sinumang pulitiko o opisyal ng gobyerno, kabilang na si Rep. Romualdez.  HInikayat lamang silang sumali sa isang grupo ng mga testigo kapalit ng pera, at may mga affidavit nang inihanda para sa kanila (They have come forward and directly contradicted the earlier accounts of the 18 Maleta Boys presented by Atty. Baligod.  According to them, there were no deliveries made to any politician or government official, including Rep. Romualdez.  They were just urged to join a group of supposed witnesses, in exchange for money, and there were affidavits prepared for them),” he added.

According to Fajardo, Guteza’s recantation shows that there are already conflicting statements between witnesses presented by the Ombudsman.

READ: Former Zaldy Co aide links Martin Romualdez to flood control mess 

“Si Orly Guteza naman, naglabas rin ng pahayag at idinetalye kung paanong ang mga akusasyon ay ipinilit sa kanya para tanggapin at pirmahan, bilang ‘missing link’ na siya raw mag-uugnay daw kay Rep. Romualdez sa kaso (For Orly Guteza, he released a statement and detailed how he was forced to make and sign the accusations, so that he will be considered a ‘missing link’ which will link Rep. Romualdez to the case.  The stories are contradicting.  Some people are withdrawing their claims.  There are witnesses now saying they have no personal knowledge of the allegations.),” Fajardo said.

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“In all of this, one thing is common: may mga taong nag-udyok at namilit sa mga testigong ito para idawit si Rep. Romualdez sa kaso.  Sa dami ng magkakasalungat na kwento, napaka klaro na walang ebidensya laban kay Rep. Romualdez (In all of this, one thing is common: there are people who urged and forced these witnesses to link Rep. Romualdez to the case.  With the many contradicting stories, it is clear that there is no evidence against Rep. Romualdez),” he added.

Fajardo said that this only shows that a fair investigation would prove that Romualdez has nothing to do with the allegations hurled at him.

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READ: More solons question timing of cash suitcases issue 

“Matagal na namin itong sinasabi—walang kinalaman si Rep. Romualdez sa mga paratang sa kanya.  We remain confident that in a fair investigating body, mapapatunayan naming walang basehan ang mga akusasyon laban kay Rep. Romualdez (We have been saying this for a long time — Rep. Romualdez is not involved in the allegations raised against him.  We remain confident that in a fair investigating body, we will be able to prove that the allegations Rep. Romualdez have no basis),” he added.

Fajardo was referring to Guteza’s recantation of his statements about the alleged delivery of cash to Romualdez, claiming that it was the idea of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor to fabricate a story.

In an affidavit dated August 13 obtained by Inquirer on Wednesday, Guteza admitted that he had no personal knowledge of the alleged delivery of “maleta” (suitcases) containing cash at Co’s Pasig residence, as well as the alleged delivery to Romualdez’s residence in Taguig.

“Out of fear and anxiety, everything stated in the affidavit they prepared was something I claimed to have witnessed, even though it was not true; this included the statement that I took part in three deliveries of suitcases to the alleged residence of Speaker Martin Romualdez. I never had any direct contact with Speaker Romualdez, nor did I even see him at that address,” Guteza said.

During the Senate blue ribbon committee investigation of anomalous infrastructure and flood control projects last September 2025, Guteza claimed that he delivered luggage of cash to Co and Romualdez’s homes — amounting to more or less P48 million each — to certain locations.

Guteza said he used to report every day at the 56th floor of Horizon Residences in Bonifacio Global City, where Co resides.  However, whenever he is assigned to “garbage” duty, they usually go to 28th Ladybug corner Dragonfly Street in Valle Verde 6, Pasig City.

According to Guteza, during each “garbage duty,” certain individuals are expected to deliver suitcases containing money, which in return will be received by John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay, both of whom were Co’s executive assistants.

Romualdez is facing a complaint from the Office of the Ombudsman, which claimed that the former Speaker was involved in “concerted and coordinated acts” that led to “unlawfully amassing, accumulating, and acquiring ill-gotten wealth” amounting to approximately P56 billion from 2022 to 2025.

But this is not the first time that witnesses against Romualdez recanted their statements.  Early this August, four of the 18 former Co bodyguards claimed in a report aired by GMA’s 24 Oras that they signed the joint affidavit because they had allegedly been promised financial assistance.

Last February 24, 2026, the 18 bodyguards together with their lawyer Levito Baligod held a press briefing, claiming that they were involved in the delivery of cash — contained in suitcases — from Co to different lawmakers.

After this report, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that Romualdez is behind the recantation of the three of the four former bodyguards.  According to the Ombudsman, the recantation “doesn’t weaken or strengthen” their complaint against Romualdez, as the official previously noted that their testimonies were backed up by “independent supporting evidence.”

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But Romualdez has accused Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla of showing prejudice against him, saying that the developments only show that the allegations against him are “false and trumped-up.” /mr