A lawmaker called for fairness and due process for former House Speaker Martin Romualdez amid accusations linking him to the pervasive flood control scandal.

Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said that unless evidence tying Romualdez to the anomalies is presented, all allegations are just noise. He added that blaming the former speaker for resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co’s appointment as chair of the Committee on Appropriations for the 19th Congress is unfair.

Acidre explained that appointments, elections, or designations, especially for committee chairmanships, are not fully under the House Speaker’s control. Rather, these decisions are decided upon by all members of the House.

Previously, due to the controversy that erupted from the unraveling flood control anomalies, Romualdez stepped down from his post as House Speaker in a move to preserve the lower chamber’s reputation and ensure that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) could conduct an unimpeded investigation into the matter.

Recently, Romualdez appeared before the ICI in connection with the flood control scandal.