ICI Speaks on Next Hearing w/ Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez over Flood Control Issue
MARTIN ROMUALDEZ – The former House Speaker requested for the postponement of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) hearing due to his “medical procedure”.
The supposed multi-billion corruption in the Philippines left countless Filipinos disappointed. Currently, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI is conducting its investigation of the issue as ordered by President Bongbong Marcos.
Marcos Jr. previously claimed that not even his family nor his allies will be spared from the flood control probe. His cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, is one of the congressmen accused of allegedly receiving kickback from the flood control projects — which the Leyte Congressman denied.
Controversial contractors Pacifico and Cezarah Discaya were the first to tag the name of then-House Speaker in the flood control mess. A former marine who claimed to be an alleged former staff of resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co, Orly Guteza, claimed that he was supposedly part of the team that delivered suitcases filled with millions of money to Romualdez and Co.
Romualdez and Co denied the accusations. The latter has yet to return to the Philippines and face the allegations against him. He was already in the United States when the accusation broke out. Despite the revocation of his Travel Clearance and the calls for him to return to the country and face the allegations, what he did instead was resign from his position and remain overseas.
One of the congressmen who appeared for the ICI hearing was former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. According to him, he will extend all the information he has to help speed up the resolution of the issue. The former House Speaker is expected to return to the headquarters of the ICI on October 22.
However, based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the ICI recently announced that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez asked for the postponement of the hearing. The Leyte Congressman’s request is allegedly due to his “medical procedure”.
Based on the report, the ICI said that it will release an advisory “once a date for the next hearing has been determined”. The independent body has a subpoena power but it has no power to cite anyone in contempt. Recently, the ICI revealed that controversial contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya withdrew their cooperation to the flood control investigation.
Amid the flood control mess, Malacañang was previously asked about the possibility that presidential cousin and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will be a state witness.