Guteza’s Recantation Submitted To Ombudsman
Former Marines Orly Guteza reportedly detailed in his recantation how his former statements had been forced upon him so he could link Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez to the flood control controversy.
The camp of Leyte congressman and former speaker Martin Romualdez has filed a supplemental counter-affidavit before the Office of the Ombudsman – backed by sworn statements of 25 former employees of fugitive lawmaker Zaldy Co – disputing allegations that he received suitcases of money.
Romualdez’s legal counsel and spokesman Ade Fajardo said the supplemental counter-affidavit also included the recent recantation of Orly Guteza, a former security aide of Co.
Fajardo said the 25 former employees, including former drivers and security aides of Co, disputed the claims of the so-called “maleta” boys, with many of them saying they were offered money to sign prepared affidavits.
“According to them, no delivery of money to politicians or officials including Romualdez had ever happened. They were asked to join in exchange for money, and there was even an affidavit prepared for them,” Fajardo said at a press conference.
He said Guteza detailed in his recantation how his former statements had been forced upon him so he could link Romualdez to the flood control controversy. Romualdez has consistently denied the allegations.
Fajardo said they remained confident that a fair investigation would find the accusations against the former speaker baseless.
With the recantations, Fajardo said the complaint against Romualdez should be dismissed, considering that there seems to be no forensic evidence or objective documentary evidence against his client and the complaint itself seemed to rely on oral evidence.
The Romualdez spokesman also pointed out that even government agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice have filed cyber libel and perjury cases against the “maleta boys,” finding their statements “libelous.”
“It’s a non-case, it should be dismissed,” he said.
Fajardo also denied allegations that Romualdez is behind the recantation of former bodyguards of Co, saying it is only presenting evidence that proves the innocence of Romualdez.
