MANILA— A former security aide of Zaldy Co testified that he rejected offers of up to P20 million to withdraw his allegations against former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, as he detailed alleged cash deliveries to the lawmaker’s residences.

It said that Rodante Orbillo, a prosecution witness, disclosed the offers during the third day of the Sandiganbayan bail hearing of Romualdez, who is detained in connection with a P7.4-billion plunder case.

When asked by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Ronald Moreno how much he had been offered to recant his testimony, Orbillo replied, “P15 million pataas.”

He later said the offer reached as high as P20 million, while another instance involved P8 million.

Asked why he refused the money, Orbillo said he wanted to stand by the truth, particularly after he had previously been falsely accused of frustrated murder.

“Ito na lang po ang totoong nangyari sa buhay ko, iyong trabaho kay Cong Zaldy Co. Kaya hindi niya ako nakumbinsi,” Orbillo said, referring to Benny Bulontante, one of the accusers of Romualdez who later recanted his allegations.

Orbillo claimed that Bulontante accepted an offer to withdraw his accusations but said he did not know how much money he received.

During the hearing, Orbillo also testified that approximately 100 suitcases containing a total of P1 billion in cash were delivered to Romualdez’s residence in Forbes Park, Makati, from 2023 to 2024.

The former Marine said the deliveries originated from Co’s units at Horizon Homes in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and Valle Verde 6 in Pasig City. He said he participated in more than 10 deliveries.

Asked by the prosecution how he identified the property at 14 Narra in Forbes Park as Romualdez’s residence, Orbillo said he saw the lawmaker’s personal driver, identified only as Bobby, at the house.

He also described how the cash was prepared before delivery.

“Nasa maleta po, bundled na. Maamoy niyo po iyong bagong pera. Nasusuya na nga po ako [sa amoy],” Orbillo said, describing the alleged cash deliveries.

“Bago po dalhin kay Cong Martin, bibilangin po muna [sa bahay ni Zaldy Co],” he added.

Orbillo further testified that he delivered money to Romualdez at three other locations.

He also alleged that he delivered kickbacks to Sen. Vicente Sotto III, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV and former Marikina representative Stella Quimbo between 2022 and 2024.

Trillanes, who served in the Senate from 2007 to 2019, denied the allegations, noting that he was no longer a senator during the period cited by Orbillo.

“Definitely, not true. Nagrecant na nga mismo ung mga kasamahan niyan at sinabi na hindi totoo ang mga paratang nila na nagbigay sila sakin ng maleta ng pera,” Trillanes said in a statement.

Sotto, who was not a senator from 2022 to 2025, also rejected the need to address the allegations.

“It is an old story. [It] does not deserve a response,” Sotto said on Thursday.

Quimbo served as senior vice chair of the House appropriations committee from 2022 to 2024.

Orbillo also claimed that Col. William Dominguez, described as Co’s bodyguards’ second-in-command, offered them money in exchange for their silence. According to Orbillo, the proposed payment started at P3 million per person before being reduced to P1 million and eventually P300,000.