MANILA – Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has not been implicated by any evidence in the alleged anomalous flood control projects, his spokespersons said, rejecting claims that he was involved in the controversy.

In a statement, lawyer Elaine Atienza said no former or incumbent official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has identified Romualdez as having participated in the planning, procurement, implementation, inspection, payment or release of funds for any alleged ghost flood control project despite inquiries conducted by the Senate, the House of Representatives and other investigating bodies.

She added that former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who headed the agency, also did not implicate the Leyte lawmaker.

“Simple lang kung bakit (The reason is simple) — because Rep. Romualdez was not involved,” Atienza said.

Atienza said the allegations against Romualdez disregard the constitutional process for preparing and implementing the national budget.

She explained that the National Expenditure Program is prepared by the Executive branch through the Department of Budget and Management and implementing agencies, including the DPWH, before it is submitted to Congress for deliberation by both chambers.

“No Speaker can dictate upon Cabinet secretaries. Neither can he dictate upon senators, who exercise their own independent constitutional mandate. Sila po ay pantay-pantay diyan (They are equals) being elected officials. Primus inter pares (first among equals),” she said.

She added that once the General Appropriations Act is enacted, the House Speaker has no authority over project bidding, contract awards, implementation, inspections, payments or the release of government funds.

Atienza said any investigation into alleged irregularities should focus on officials who exercised legal and operational authority over the projects.

“If there were irregularities in any infrastructure project, then those who actually exercised legal and operational authority should be identified and held accountable. Accountability must follow the evidence — not political convenience,” she said.

She also described Romualdez as being made a “convenient excuse and political scapegoat” despite the absence of evidence linking him to the alleged anomalies.

“Sa paghahanap ng hustisya, hindi puwedeng mauna ang akusasyon bago ang ebidensya. Sa batas, ang ebidensya ang nagtuturo kung sino ang mananagot (In the quest for justice, accusations must not go first before evidence. Under the law, the evidence will show who will be accountable),” Atienza said.

In a separate statement, another spokesperson, lawyer Ade Fajardo, questioned the credibility of Bonoan, describing the former DPWH secretary as a biased source and expressing concern over reports that the Office of the Ombudsman intends to use his testimony as a state witness.

Fajardo argued that Bonoan himself should be held accountable over allegations involving flood control projects, citing claims by former DPWH undersecretary-turned-state witness Roberto Bernardo that the former secretary supposedly received PHP1 billion in kickbacks.

He also said Bonoan never mentioned Romualdez in earlier statements, including one submitted to the Independent Commission on Infrastructure that investigated the alleged flood control scam.

“It’s very alarming. Because even way before these events… ay hindi po nababangit si Cong. Martin Romualdez ni dating Sec. Manuel Bonoan (Bonoan has never mentioned Romualdez),” Fajardo said.

“Nakakabahala na isang taon na ang nakalipas at ngayon lang niya babanggitin for the first time para lang sabihin at ma-discharge siya, mabigyan siya ng immunity, hindi na siya makukulong dahil sasabihin lang niya ang magic words na Martin Romualdez (It is alarming that it has been a year after the flood control scandal erupted, it is only now that he mentioned Romualdez so that he can be discharged and given immunity. He won’t be jailed anymore because he will just say the magic word: Martin Romualdez),” he added.

Fajardo claimed Bonoan was merely speculating about Romualdez’s alleged role in the controversy to avoid liability and to strengthen the narrative that a “big fish” was involved because of the congressman’s relationship to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“So, parang (it looks like) it’s a popular position to take: name someone supposedly or they think very close to the official family para lang magkaroon ng credibility ang sinasabi nilang ‘big fish’ (just to give credibility to their claim of a big fish),” he said.

Fajardo said Romualdez remains prepared to face any complaint that may be filed against him and has no intention of evading accountability.

“Wala pong attempt, wala pong kaisipan ang ating former Speaker na tumakas po sa obligasyon o pananagutan kung meron (There is no attempt, not even a thought, by the former Speaker to avoid his obligations or accountability, if there is)… he has always maintained, there is no such anomalous transaction to back up the allegations against him,” Fajardo said.