WITH VIDEO | Ex-Marine Says He Delivered Suitcases Of ‘Basura’ To Co, Romualdez
It was Sen. Rodante Marcoleta who introduced Master Sergeant Orly Regala Guteza as a witness, and even appeared to coach him into sticking to his prepared sworn affidavit.
A surprise witness – a former member of the Philippine Marines – who claimed to have worked as security consultant to Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on Thursday, Sept. 25, about personally delivering “basura” or suitcases containing millions of pesos to the residences of the congressman and of then House speaker Martin Romualdez.
It was Sen. Rodante Marcoleta who introduced Master Sergeant Orly Regala Guteza as a witness, and even appeared to coach him into sticking to his prepared sworn affidavit.
Guteza claimed he personally delivered 46 Rimowa luggage each containing P48 million to the posh residences of Co and Romualdez.
Guteza called the cash “basura” or trash, a common law enforcement term for contraband, which in his case was the congressmen’s alleged illegal proceeds from flood control projects.
The witness said he personally joined the security detail three times for the delivery of cash to Romualdez’s Forbes Park residence and to aides John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay at Co’s Bonifacio Global City residence.
At one point, Guteza says he even delivered alleged kickbacks at the ex-speaker’s Aguado residence near Malacañang and at a house allegedly bought from Michael Yang, Duterte’s former economic adviser who was implicated in illegal drugs and offshore gaming activities.
Guteza said the deliveries of the alleged kickbacks were facilitated by then ACT-CIS party-list congressman and now Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, who allegedly brought the 46 pieces of lug-gage of cash to Co’s Valle Verde house in Pasig City.
He said of the 46 pieces of luggage, 11 were delivered to the residence of Co, while the remaining 35 were delivered to Romualdez’s Forbes house.
The alleged dealings among district and party-list representatives made Senate President Vicente Sotto III remark: “From one congressman to another.”
Guteza said he does not need to request for protection unlike the other witnesses before him.
He said he made the testimony out of his conscience and that as a “soldier who was willing to offer his life in service and has decided to speak up” about the corruption “for the future of our children.”
“It is difficult for me to speak out because I have a family myself with four children. I do not wish harm to anyone in my wish for a better future for the country,” Guteza said.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief himself, lauded Guteza’s bravery “typical of a Marine.”
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said they would study the possibility of making Guteza a state witness.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo meanwhile urged Yap, his former party-mate in ACT-CIS, to explain his side after being implicated in the corruption scandal.
