MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla alleged that the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was behind the decision of four former security personnel of dismissed lawmaker Zaldy Co to recant their previous allegations linking him to the flood control scandal.

“It is former Speaker Romualdez. Siyempre, siyempre, sino pa ba ang makikinabang pag nagrecant ’yan?” Remulla said during a press conference.

The four men were among 18 individuals who identified themselves as former security personnel of Co, some of whom said they were former Marines. They had earlier alleged that they delivered suitcases containing cash to Romualdez and other personalities.

Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman had individually scrutinized the affidavits of the 18 men and had conducted actual site visits to locations where the alleged cash deliveries supposedly took place.

Eight of the 18 had submitted affidavits to the Ombudsman, Remulla said. Three of those eight later recanted their statements, while the fourth person who recanted was not among those who had filed an affidavit with the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman chief said the four could potentially be included as respondents in the cases as accessories after the fact following their recantations.

Remulla also questioned the role of lawyers involved in the affidavits, warning that legal counsel could face consequences if they were found to have participated in efforts to obstruct the investigation.

“This is the point wherein we should look at the role of lawyers in our society,” Remulla said, adding that lawyers are expected to defend their clients but should not become involved in schemes that frustrate the administration of justice.

He also questioned the credibility of lawyer Levi Baligod, who represented former security personnel who executed affidavits before the Ombudsman in the complaint involving Romualdez.

“Baligod is a very colorful character,” Remulla said, referring to Baligod’s previous involvement in the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF cases.

Baligod had served as one of the lawyers of state witness Benhur Luy during the investigation into the PHP10-billion PDAF scam.

Romualdez denies allegation

Romualdez, meanwhile, strongly denied Remulla’s allegation that his camp was behind the recantations.

“The Ombudsman’s accusation that I am behind the recantations of the former Marines is absolutely not true,” Romualdez said in a statement.

He said Remulla’s remarks showed that the Ombudsman was prejudiced against him.

“This shows how extremely prejudiced he is against me. Hindi ganito ang patas na paghahanap ng katotohanan,” Romualdez said.

The former Speaker said the recantations instead supported his longstanding position that the allegations against him were “false and trumped up.”

“I will not be intimidated. I will face every accusation against me, defend myself with the facts, the evidence, and the truth,” he said.

Romualdez is being investigated by the Ombudsman over allegations of plunder, graft and direct bribery in connection with supposed irregularities in flood control projects.

The 18 former security personnel surfaced publicly in February 2026 and executed affidavits alleging that they had delivered suitcases of cash to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Romualdez, Co and other personalities.

Trillanes to withdraw cases

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, meanwhile, said he would withdraw the criminal complaints he filed against four of the former soldiers who allegedly recanted their earlier statements.

Trillanes said he had instructed his lawyer to withdraw the cases following reports that the four had retracted their previous affidavits and allegations against him and other personalities.

“Kaugnay sa report ng GMA news ng pag-recant ng apat na ex-soldiers ng kanilang mga naunang affidavits at allegations laban sakin, sa ICC at sa iba pang mga personalidad, sinabihan ko na ang aking abogado na i-atras na ang mga kaso na isinampa ko laban sa kanilang apat,” Trillanes said.

The former Philippine Navy officer said he sympathized with the four men, whom he claimed were exploited because of their lack of livelihood by people with political motives.

“Bilang dating sundalo, nagsisimpatya ako sa pinagdadaanan nila na dahil sa kawalan ng kabuhayan ay pinagsamantalahan sila ng mga taong may madilim na layuning political,” he said.

Trillanes said he hoped the four had learned a serious lesson from the controversy and that other former soldiers involved in the allegations would eventually realize that they were being misled.

The former security personnel had also accused Trillanes of receiving USD2 million allegedly intended to bribe investigators of the International Criminal Court. Trillanes denied the allegations and filed criminal complaints against four of the men.

He said he had already coordinated with his lawyer regarding the withdrawal of the cases.