00:00Hinilipo ng Ombudsman sa Sandigan Bayan na maglabas ng Precautionary Hold Departure Order
00:04laban kay dating House Speaker Martin Romualdes.
00:07Sa isang video message, dinepensahan ni Romualdes ng sarili at igniit
00:11na hindi siya ang mastermind sa issue kaugnay ng budget.
00:15At binigyang diin pa niya na ehekutibo ang mas may command responsibility sa budget at sa pagpapatupad nito.
00:22Saksi, si Tina Panganiban Perez.
00:27I will not allow myself to be turned into the scapegoat so that others who are actually accountable can walk
00:33away clean.
00:34I will not be the fall guy for other people's corruption.
00:38Binasag ni dating Speaker Martin Romualdes ang katahimitan kaugnay sa pagkakaugnay ng kanyang pangalan sa kontrobersiya sa budget insertions at
00:48flood control projects.
00:49Tanong niya, paano raw naging siya ang mastermind?
00:53How can I be the mastermind?
00:55I was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, but the House of Representatives is only one part of
01:02the branch of government, the legislature.
01:05The national budget is not conceived, executed, implemented, billed out, supervised, and completed by one congressman or even by Congress
01:15alone.
01:15And certainly, not by the Speaker of the House.
01:18Kung siya raw ang mastermind, dapat ang diskrito niya sa Tacloban ang pinaka-nakinabag.
01:24Pero wala raw ni isang ghost project sa kanyang diskrito.
01:28To prove this point, I'm authorizing my staff to share and release to the public the list of all the
01:34projects in my district that the authorities may deem attributable to me.
01:38Let the public scrutinize and verify for themselves.
01:41Sa gitna ng pagtatanggol sa sarili, tinukoy niya si na dating Senate President Chief Escudero at dating House Appropriations Committee
01:50Chair Zaldico na gumawa ng mga desisyon sa budget.
01:54With respect to how the budget was deliberated in Congress, let me say this categorically.
01:59I was not a part of the BICAM and the Small Committee budget deliberations.
02:05Yes, I was updated on the general outcomes of the deliberations, but I had no visibility with regard to the
02:12specific details of the discussions,
02:13including particular amendments or insertions approved during these closed-door deliberations.
02:21Records would show that I did not participate in those meetings and I was not privy to what exactly transpired
02:28during the deliberations.
02:30However, two people were instrumental in making those budget decisions.
02:38At kung meron man daw may command responsibility sa budget at implementasyon nito, ito raw ay ang ehekutibo.
02:46That is why command responsibility is far more logically relevant in the executive branch where there is actual supervision,
02:53operational control, and implementation on the ground than in the collegial legislative body where constitutional role is deliberation and appropriation.
03:03Sabi pa ni Romualdez, nakahanda siyang depensahan ang sarili.
03:07There are emerging indications that certain sectors are attempting to weaponize individuals, including Zaldico,
03:14to construct a narrative that serves their own interests.
03:17So when the legal processes is being used against me as a political demolition job, then I will have no
03:24choice but to defend myself.
03:26May mensahe rin si Romualdez sa Office of the Ombudsman.
03:29To the Ombudsman, I say this with full respect.
03:33If your office truly believes in justice, then follow the sworn statements, follow the records, and follow the evidence all
03:40the way.
03:41Do not stop where it is politically convenient.
03:44Do not settle for the easiest headline.
03:46Do not confuse public pressure with prosecutorial duty.
03:50What I ask of the Office of the Ombudsman is simple.
03:53Follow the rule of law and due process.
03:56Sinusubukan pa ng GMA News na makuha ang panit ni na Escudero at Co.
04:00Gayun din ang Malacanang at Ombudsman.
04:03Inihahanda na ng Ombudsman ang reklamang money laundering laban kay Romualdez.
04:08Kaya hiniling nila sa Anti-Money Laundering Council o AMLAC na ipafreeze ang kanyang mga ari-ariyan.
04:15We're waiting for the Romualdez case to start rolling.
04:19And the first case would be about money laundering.
04:23It's related to corruption and money laundering.
04:25Sinusubukan na may ma-freeze order para mapangalagaan natin yung mga salapi na dapat pag-aari ng bayan.
04:35Pero ayon sa kampo ni Romualdez, wala pa silang natatanggap na opisyal na abiso sa anumang application o freeze order.
04:44Kaya speculative anila ang pagsasabing may nakaumang ng ganyan.
04:49Nagpaalam naman sa Ombudsman si Romualdez na babiyahe siya pa Singapore para magpa-check up.
04:55Pero tinanggihan nito ng Ombudsman at humiling sa Sandigan Bayan na maglabas ng Precautionary Hold Departure Order
05:02laban kay Romualdez.
05:05Niraming siya pinaalis, niraming pinayagan na ma-lift yung bulletin niya.
05:09Kasi nga, naka-lookout order because we've been investigating him actively.
05:13Baka hindi na bumalik eh.
05:14Parang namang sobrang koinsidental na nahuli si Saldico sa Europe, wala siyang aalis.
05:19Pero giit ng kampo ni Romualdez,
05:22hindi ipinagbabawal ng lookout bulletin order ang pag-aabroad.
05:26Nire-require lang nito ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga otoridad.
05:30Kaya ang araw kumuha ito ng Travel Authority mula sa liderato ng Kamara na aprobado na.
05:37Mula April 20 hanggang May 4, 2026,
05:41ang paalam niya para sa long overdue follow-up sa kanyang angioplasty surgery
05:47sa baytiyak na babalik sa Pilipinas.
05:50Ako si Tina Panganiban Perez, ang inyong saksi.
05:55Outro
05:55Goto
05:56O
05:56O
05:56O
05:56O
05:57And I'll see you next time.
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