Vice President Sara Duterte has claimed that House Speaker Martin Romualdez was involved in corruption schemes linked to flood control projects and illegal gambling, saying that personnel from his office had delivered illicit funds.

“Hindi lang sa flood control, pati sa illegal gambling. Tumatanggap sila. Si Martin Romualdez. So hindi lang siya sa flood control,” Duterte said in an interview. “Baka kasi yung tao na nagtrabaho ng basura, flood control yung pera na tinatransport nila. Pero marami pang iba pang mga sources ng korupsyon na dinideliver.”

The Vice President further asserted that individuals within Romualdez’s office had knowledge of the transactions but were afraid to speak out.

“Ayaw lumabas ng mga tao. Dati pa naman kami nagsasabi na magsalita kayo. Takot lahat kasi magsalita ngayon dahil siyempre aabot yun until the office of the president. So walang nagsasalita,” she explained. “Pero pag sinabi ko kasi kung sino at anong klaseng personnel, maaano nila kung sino yung nagsasabi doon sa loob.”

Duterte added that these internal threats were part of the reason her office stopped using confidential funds in late 2023.

“From the office of Congressman Romualdez. O yes. Ito din yung mga tao na nagsasabi sa akin na aatake sila sa confidential funds. Ito din yung reason kung bakit hindi na namin ginamit yung confidential funds on the third and fourth quarter,” she claimed.

She also asserted that “our institutions are clearly abused” and that governance has become stagnant due to corruption and politics.

“Our institutions are clearly abused. They are used for personal gain. And we have already seen the testimony of witnesses about corruption. And there is practically nothing happening in our country,” Duterte said.

On the issue of alleged kickbacks, Duterte claimed the practice was longstanding and asserted that Romualdez had been tied to controversies in the past.

“Well, matagal naman namin na alam yan dahil matagal naman na yan pinag-uusapan. Simula pa lang noong pagpasok namin as President and Vice President, naririnig na namin yung delivery ng mga pera na nakalagay sa mga suitcases,” she said.

“Hindi siya odd for Martin Romualdez because he was already involved in heavy luggages doon sa Okada case. Kung maalala ninyo doon sa State of Delaware case sa Amerika, nabanggit na yung pangalan niya doon at nabanggit na rin yung pangalan niya doon na tumatanggap ng pera na nakalagay sa luggages,” Duterte asserted.

She emphasized that the testimony of a witness had brought longstanding rumors into the open.

“So ganun talaga yung modus nila… Di tulad ngayon na meron talagang isang tao na nagsabi na kung ano yung sistema, ano yung ginawa nila, at paano nila ginagawa yun,” she said.

Romualdez denies claims

According to RH Milky Rigonan, Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez contended VP Duterte’s claims were “pure fiction” in a statement on September 29.

“Naririnig ko ang mga akusasyon. Diretsahan kong sasabihin: hindi totoo na ako'y tumatanggap mula sa ilegal na sugal,” Romualdez said.

“These stories about ‘suitcases of cash’ are pure fiction. Lahat guni-guni. Madaling magturo, madaling mag-imbento - pero ang katotohanan, hindi kayang patunayan.”

He dismissed references to the Okada and Delaware cases, insisting he was not a party to any investigation.

“Sa isyung Okada/Delaware, malinaw: hindi ako kasali, hindi ako iniimbestigahan, at hindi ako akusado. Wala akong kinalaman sa kasong iyon, na away ng dalawang negosyo. Binabalik lang ngayon para siraan ako,” he said.

Romualdez further claimed that Duterte herself lacked credibility due to controversies in her own office.

“Nakakalungkot na ang mismong Bise Presidente, na inakusahan at na-impeach ng House dahil sa maling paggamit ng pondo, ay siya pang nagkakalat ng ganitong kasinungalingan,” he added.

“When the source itself has lost credibility, why should anyone believe these baseless claims?”

During the ongoing probe into the flood control scam, Martin Romualdez stepped down as Speaker of the House of Representatives and pledged full cooperation with investigations into the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) controversy.

He was succeeded by Deputy Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.