00:00The DPWH and ICI recommend that former House Speaker and late Representative Martin Romualdis and former Congressman Zaldi Cobb be charged with plunder.
00:09Isaiah Merafuentes reports.
00:13Boxes of documents were brought by the Department of Public Works and Highways, or DPWH, and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, or ICI, which they submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.
00:25The documents contained contracts worth over P100 billion from 2016 to 2025 that were awarded to San Luis Construction Company and Hightone Construction Company, which are allegedly owned by former Representative Zaldi Cobb.
00:41Also included is a sworn statement of Zaldi Cobb's alleged security aide, wherein he implicated former House Speaker Martin Romualdis in Zaldi Cobb in corruption allegations.
00:51They recommend that the Ombudsman file charges of plunder, violation of the Anti-Rap and Corrupt Practices Act, and direct bribery against Romualdis and Co.
01:01Kagaya po ng sinabi ng ating Pangulo, may tiwala po tayo sa proseso, may tiwala po tayo sa ating ombudsman, may tiwala po tayo sa ating mga korte kapag ito ay umabot na sa kanila, at ito po ay mga facts, mga dokumento.
01:23But DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon explained why the details mentioned by Zaldi Cobb in his series of online videos were not included in the documents they submitted.
01:33We cannot include statements that are not sworn. That is the most important difference. Kaya ang na-include lang namin, yung mga sinumpaan, mga sinabi. At yung pong Facebook video ni former Congressman Zaldi Cobb, hindi po yun sinumpaan.
01:58According to Dizon, he is leaving it to the office of the Ombudsman, the task of handling the investigation against two personalities. He also did not answer the question about the specific participation of Romualdis and Co. in the alleged anomaly.
02:12Ayaw ko magsalita, papasensya na kayo. Ayaw ko magsalita ba? I think the facts, the testimonies, the documents will speak for themselves.
02:24Sa aming pagagay, merong basihan para dun sa tatlong recommended na kaso.
02:32Pero siyempre, yan ay hindi namin trabaho. Ang trabaho namin ay magsumiti. Ang trabaho ng Ombudsman ay investigahan ng mabuti. At siya ang magsasabi sa korte ano ba ang kaso na ipafari.
02:53This is the second referral from the DPWH and the sixth from the ICI. And all of these documents will undergo the Ombudsman fact-finding process.
03:02Sabi ng Pangulo ito, at tuloy-tuloy na po ito, wala pong sasantuhin ang gobyerno, wala pong sisinuhin. Base lang po sa ebidensyang ating makakarap kung saan po tayo dadalhin ng ebidensya, dun po tayo pupunta.
03:21Medyo natagalan, dahil bagong ICI, we have to start from ground zero, walang budget, walang tao, most volunteers.
03:32They also asked for the public's patience, assuring that no loopholes will be found in the evidence they will submit.
03:38According to the Campbell former House Speaker Marnin Rumualdes, he remains confident in facing the ICI probe voluntarily appearing and not leaving the country.
03:48He added that in all the hearings, there has been no sworn incredible evidence linking him to any anomaly, and his conscience remains clean.
03:57Rumualdes also entrusts everything to the Ombudsman in hopes for a fair and complete investigation that will reveal the truth.
04:05Meanwhile, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, the filing of charges against former House Speaker Martin Rumualdes and former Representative Zaldico will be based strictly on evidence.
04:15We have to look at the contents of the recommendation and the attached documents so we will know how to act on the matter.
04:24Kasi everything is evidence-based.
04:26They will determine during evaluation whether the case needs further build-up or a preliminary investigation.
04:33Evaluation muna, titignan namin yung contents, fact-finding, and fact-finding if there are things that are needed para pwede namin isubject sa preliminary investigation.
04:48Kasi nga, kung hilaw ang kaso, kailangan muna ng case build-up.
04:52The Ombudsman also noted that the case may take days or even months to progress.
04:58They are currently hearing 14 to 15 other complaints related to the alleged anomalous flood control project.
05:05Isaiah Amir Fuentes from the National TV Network for a new inverter, Philippines.
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