Zaldy Co’s Former Aide Orly Guteza Recants Testimony against Martin Romualdez
ORLY GUTEZA – The alleged former staff of Zaldy Co recanted his accusation against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The flood control scam is so far the biggest corruption issue in the Philippines. Many government officials including the highest officials themselves were tagged in the flood control mess and the issue brought thousands of Filipinos to the streets to protest.
The so-called “Trillion Peso March” was held twice as the Filipinos called for accountability. Even the President himself, Pres. Bongbong Marcos, was implicated in the supposed multi-billion flood control scam.
Former House of Representatives budget appropriations committee chairman Zaldy Co who is accused as allegedly one of the main role players in the flood control corruption tagged Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
According to Co, suitcases filled with money were allegedly delivered for the President and the then-House Speaker. During the Senate flood control investigation, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta presented a witness, Orly Guteza, who also pinned down former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Orly Guteza claimed that he is allegedly a former marine and a former aide of Zaldy Co. According to him, he was supposedly part of the team who delivered money for then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez denied all the accusations linking him to the supposed multi-billion flood control corruption. He stressed that he is a self-made man. Amid the issue and the allegations, he stepped down from the House speakership.
Recently, Orly Guteza recanted his previous testimony linking former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to the flood control mess. Based on a report on GMA News, the former aide of Zaldy Co claimed that he was allegedly tapped by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former House lawmaker Mike Defensor to make up the accusations against the former Speaker.
Defensor’s son-in-law, Mark, was allegedly the one who drafted his affidavit. Guteza claimed that he was allegedly told to go to a Japanese restaurant near the Senate where he met Marcoleta and the elder Defensor.
“Sinimulan na ni Senator Marcoleta basahin ang ginawa ni Mark na affidavit base sa sinabi ni former Cong. Mike Defensor. Sabi niya, ‘Pare, ayusin ko ang Tagalog.’ Doon mismo sa harapan ko,” the former Marine claimed.
Orly Guteza claimed that he was allegedly forced to make the accusations against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Based on the report, the former aide of Zaldy Co also claimed that he was allegedly promised cash and educational scholarship for his children.
Currently, both Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former House lawmaker Mike Defensor are detained. The Sandiganbayan ordered the detention of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta in the Quezon City Jail.
