‘Trash’ talk: Ex-Speaker tagged anew in flood probe
A witness claiming to be a former security consultant of Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co on Thursday implicated former Speaker Martin Romualdez in the flood control corruption scandal, saying he personally delivered kickbacks from infrastructure projects to the Leyte lawmaker’s residence.
Romualdez denied the allegation, calling the testimony “a complete fabrication” and “a product of coaching.”
A lawyer whose name appeared in the witness’ prepared statement also denied notarizing it. (See stories below.)
Orly Regala Guteza was presented at the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee investigation by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who said the witness was a former Marine who had reached out to him about his willingness to testify against some congressmen.
In a prepared statement read during the hearing, Guteza said that as Co’s security aide, he was assigned to carry and deliver pieces of luggage containing money to certain locations.
“Basura” (trash) was the code word used for the cash, according to the witness, who spoke of one particular time when he was transporting bags containing P48 million each.
Guteza said he was hired on Dec. 5, 2024, and reported every day at the 56th floor of Horizon Residences in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, where Co reportedly resides. He said he resigned last month.
Whenever he was assigned to do “basura” duty, he and the other aides usually went to another house of Co at 28th Ladybug St. corner Dragonfly St. in Valle Verde 6, Pasig City.
According to Guteza, during every trip, certain individuals first delivered suitcases containing money to Co’s place and were received and “counted” by John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay, the congressman’s executive assistants.
Delivery routine
After the money gets counted, Guteza said, they would load the suitcases onto vehicles to bring them to Horizon Residences, where they are unloaded at the basement before being brought up to Co’s unit on the 56th floor.
From there, he said, the bulk of the suitcases were then brought down and loaded back onto the vehicles for delivery to the house of Romualdez, also in Taguig.
“For example, we went up with 46 suitcases then brought down 35 to be delivered to the house of Speaker Martin Romualdez at 42 Mckinley St., Taguig. Eleven suitcases are left behind on the 56th floor, Horizon Residences.’’
He said he himself delivered money to Co’s place at Horizon and Romualdez’s house on McKinley “about three times.”
The deliveries would involve different people “detailed as close-in (security), backup and advance party, who are on rotation,” he added.
Allies
In his statement, Guteza mentioned a third House member—Rep. Eric Yap—saying the lawmaker also brought “46 suitcases” containing money to Co’s residence in Valle Verde 6.
Yap served as representative of ACT-CIS party from 2019 to 2022 and became congressman of Benguet’s lone district in 2022. Yap also served as chair of the House committee on appropriations before being succeeded in the position by Co.
Yap is a known ally of the Duterte family, with some of his bills co-authored by Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, son of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Guteza’s testimony marked the second time both Romualdez and Co were mentioned together at the Senate blue ribbon committee inquiry in connection with questionable dealings in public works projects.
The first was on Sept. 8, when contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II named them in his affidavit as among the lawmakers demanding commissions. Romualdez later issued a statement calling the allegation “false and malicious.”
The following day, Discaya clarified in a parallel House inquiry that he never had any direct transactions with Romualdez and Co, and that the politicians who had approached him for commissions only name-dropped the two House allies.
