Romualdez denies 'functional control' over the national budget
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez asserts that he had no "functional control" over the national budget linked to the flood control scandal.
Romualdez made the statement through his spokesperson, Atty. Elaine Atienza, reiterating that he is not the mastermind behind the country's controversial flood control scandal.
"Linawin po natin: there is no such thing as 'functional control' over the budget process," Atienza said. "Hindi po ginagawa ng iisang tao ang national budget. Hindi ito hawak ng iisang opisina lamang, at lalong hindi ito kayang diktahan o kontrolin ng House Speaker."
The lawyer then sumarrized the budget deliberation process as starting from the executive agency proposals consolidated through the National Expenditure Program before being submitted to Congress.
"'Wag po nating baluktutin ang katotohanan. Wala pong kakayahan ang Speaker na diktahan ang mga Senador, ang Pangulo, o ang sinuman sa proseso ng pagpasa ng budget. Having said that, nais din po naming ulitin: hindi ang mga mambabatas ang nagre- release ng pondo." Atienza stressed.
She then reiterated that the Executive branch of government should be held accountable. "Accountability must be based on evidence, not theory or opinion. It must be based on what a person actually did, not what people assume his title allowed him to do."
Atienza concluded by saying Romualdez will be ready to answer allegation through proper legal means.
Romualdez's statement is in response to Asistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano's pronouncement on Thursday, May 28, that the former may have “functional control” over the Committee on Appropriations linked to flood control project anomalies.
On November 15 last year, former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co implicated President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Romualdez in the flood control mess in a video uploaded on his Facebook page, linking them to 2025 budget insertions of flood control projects worth P100 billion.
Dyas later, the DPWH and ICI jointly reported to the Ombudsman to charge Romualdez and Co with plunder, graft, and direct bribery.
On April 6, the Ombudsman said it is ready to file plunder cases against Romualdez and Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero.
Romualdez then released a video statement on April 21 rejecting allegations that he's the mastermind behind the flood control corruption.
