Marcoleta: “Hindi ako natatakot kay Martin Romualdez”
RODANTE MARCOLETA – The senator made a bold statement during his privilege speech at the Senate on Monday, September 29, 2025, addressing the ongoing controversy involving former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co.
In his speech, Senator Marcoleta hinted that some senators might be too afraid to go against Romualdez. He emphasized that their shared goal is to uncover who is truly behind the scheme, which he said is now slowly being revealed. Marcoleta then asked, “Sino bang natatakot kay Martin Romualdez? Marami po siguro sa kapulungang ito.” He quickly clarified, however, “Pero hindi ako natatakot kay Martin Romualdez.”
Marcoleta’s statement comes as he faces questions about his own credibility. He was recently criticized for presenting a witness, Orly Guteza, who claimed to be a former security consultant for Zaldy Co. It was later discovered that the notarization on Guteza’s affidavit was fake, raising doubts about his testimony.
Despite the controversy, Guteza gave detailed statements before the Senate. He described what he called a “garbage scheme,” which allegedly involved delivering suitcases filled with cash to Romualdez and Co. According to Guteza, the term “garbage” was used as code for these money-filled suitcases.
Guteza explained that his role was to carry the so-called “garbage.” He said these deliveries happened repeatedly and were handled by different members of their security team. The deliveries were reportedly made to the homes of Romualdez and Co, with team members taking turns through a rotation among close-in, back-up, and advance security teams.
Marcoleta’s speech has intensified public attention, directly challenging Romualdez’s influence and adding pressure to fully uncover the truth behind the alleged corruption.
Related Post: Martin Romualdez Denies Claims of “Sen. Marcoleta’s Witness”: “An outright and complete fabrication”