AMLC: No flood control money in Martin’s accounts

MANILA, Philippines — An investigator of the Anti-Money Laundering Council told the Sandiganbayan that the AMLC found no record of contractors, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), or former lawmaker Zaldy Co sending money to suspended Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez when he was House speaker.

AMLC financial investigator Jan Mark Busa, who testified in Romualdez’s bail hearing, told the court that the P560.5 million worth of remittances that went to the bank account of the Leyte lawmaker were not related to flood control transactions or unlawful activities.

During the cross-examination of defense counsel Rashel Ann Pomoy, Busa said the AMLC examined 35 accounts associated with Romualdez and monitored P560.5 million worth of bank transactions from September 2022 to March 2025.

Asked if it would be correct that the AMLC did not have findings that these transactions were related to flood control projects, Busa answered in the affirmative.

The investigation, Busa said, covered 1,951 financial transactions of Romualdez from 2022 to 2025.

He also said there “appears to be a huge disparity” between the inflow of money in Romualdez’s accounts and the P7.4-billion plundered money alleged by ombudsman prosecutors.

Busa also testified that there was no AMLC record of Romualdez sending money to Golden Pheasant, the company allegedly used by the lawmaker to purchase a property in South Forbes Park in Makati City.

Moreover, there are no records of Romualdez sending money to OMLAW, Samchan or lawyer Jose Paras.

Third Division chairperson Associate Justice Karl Miranda scolded a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) warden over inconsistencies in her testimony on the access granted to Romualdez’s personal staff at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas.

During the bail hearing, Supt. Maria Lourdes Pacion said that Romualdez’s personal staff, Arvin de Guzman, was allowed to set up the lawmaker’s CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine at night.

Miranda, however, pointed out that this is contrary to Pacion’s earlier testimony that De Guzman was only allowed inside the facility during visiting hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., although exceeding at times.

“You’re here to tell us the truth. Stop changing the story. Just stick to one, which is the truth,” Miranda said.

Pacion said she allowed De Guzman to assist with the CPAP machine because Romualdez was not mentally stable and required continued medical care, which includes regular blood pressure monitoring, uninterrupted access and compliance with his prescribed medications, and consistent nightly use of the breathing apparatus.

However, Miranda said it seems the BJMP is giving special consideration to Romualdez by allowing him a personal assistant. Miranda said it should be the BJMP personnel attending to Romualdez’s needs.

More than P866 million allegedly stolen from anomalous flood control projects have been recovered by the government, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reported.

A total of P866,381,500 has been “returned to the DOJ and deposited to the Bureau of Treasury,” the agency said in its one-year accomplishment report yesterday.

The current total increased by P25 million from the P841,381,500 restituted amount last July.

It did not provide a breakdown of where the funds came from.

However, DOJ Senior Undersecretary Raul Vasquez noted that “the last one came from Henry Alcantara,” which he said was given in “cold cash,” while restitution by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo was “continuous.”   –  Ghio Ong

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