THE Office of the Ombudsman is preparing the filing of a “grand case” against former House Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez for conspiracy to defraud the national treasury and money laundering.
“Meron kaming hinahanda na dalawa pang kaso tungkol diyan, isa pang money laundering case, mabigat, and the grandest case of them all ‘yung conspiracy to defraud the treasury through the budget,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a press conference on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
“Hindi madaling ilatag yan kaya were are being very careful about every premise we make kasi first time itong gagawin sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas na magkakaroon tayo ng ganitong kaso sa Pilipinas,” he added.
Romualdez was among those who are accused of an anomalous budget insertion scheme involving multi billion-peso worth of flood control funds.
Remulla said they are facing a challenge in gathering evidence against Romualdez due to the alleged refusal of the Committee Secretariat of the House Committee on Appropriations to cooperate.
The Ombudsman earlier confirmed that Romualdez was among the personalities covered by the freeze order recently issued by the Court of Appeals, which included 25 bank accounts and 10 insurance policies linked to him.
Upon the request of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan seventh division issued a precautionary hold departure order against Romualdez in April, preventing his trip abroad for a medical checkup.
Romualdez is seeking the inhibition of the Office of the Ombudsman from any investigation against him amid what he claims to be as “prejudgment” being made by its officials. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)