By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

LEYTE REP. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday appeared before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), submitting an affidavit that detailed his role in the budget process as the body pressed ahead with its probe into alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

The former Speaker denied receiving any illegal payments for approving or facilitating government contracts, saying he was “not part of the bicameral conference committee” that finalized the national budget.

He said his decision to appear before the ICI was meant to “clarify issues and help the commission in its work.”

“My appearance demonstrates my resolve to tell the truth and keep politics from distorting it,” he said in a separate statement. He added that he wants the truth to come out — “not speculation or political theatrics.”

His testimony came a week after the ICI summoned him following allegations made by Orly Regala Guteza, a former security aide to Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co. Mr. Guteza told a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that he had delivered luggage filled with cash — each allegedly worth about P48 million — to several locations, including a Taguig residence supposedly linked to the former Speaker.

Mr. Romualdez dismissed the testimony as “fabricated” and politically motivated, saying the Taguig property mentioned had been under renovation since early 2024.

“The witnesses that were presented have already been discredited for having presented falsified documents, and their testimonies have already been denied,” he told reporters after the ICI’s closed-door session.

ICI spokesman Brian Keith F. Hosaka said Mr. Romualdez’s affidavit helped clarify his role in the budget process and that of other lawmakers tied to the anomalies. He will return for a follow-up hearing as the commission continues to study the documents he submitted, he added.

Mr. Romualdez said he was ready to appear “any time” he is invited again and would submit his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) at the commission’s request.

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman also appeared before the ICI in a separate session, explaining how projects move from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to the General Appropriations Act, and how the Budget department releases funds.

“We don’t really know where those insertions come from,” she told reporters. “They usually come from the departments proposing projects to the Department of Budget and Management.”

She added that the Commission on Audit should examine whether government agencies are implementing their projects properly, especially those of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

OCTA POLL
Meanwhile, a large majority of Filipinos support President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s move to expose corruption in flood-control projects, according to an OCTA Research survey that also revealed widespread anger over misuse of public funds.

The poll, conducted from Sept. 25 to 30, found that 83% of respondents backed Mr. Marcos’ decision to reveal irregularities in the multibillion-peso flood-control program, even if it could have political consequences. Only 3% disagreed, while 13% were undecided.

Support was highest in Metro Manila (91%) and the rest of Luzon (90%), and lowest in the Visayas (64%) and Mindanao (78%).

About 60% of respondents said they felt anger or outrage over corruption in infrastructure projects, while 30% reported fear or anxiety and 9% said they felt sadness or disappointment. OCTA said anger was most pronounced among younger Filipinos and residents of Luzon and the Visayas.

OCTA said 46% trusted the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to lead the investigation of the scandal. The Senate ranked second with 23%, followed by the House of Representatives with 13%, indicating a preference for a nonpolitical probe.

When asked about their expectations, 68% said they want corrupt officials and contractors held accountable, while 58% sought imprisonment of those found guilty and recovery of stolen or misused funds.

OCTA interviewed 1,200 adults for the poll, which had a ±3% error margin.

At a palace briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire A. Castro said the President is determined to pursue the probe “until accountability is achieved,” but urged the public to allow investigators to complete their work.

OCTA said the results show Filipinos strongly back the anti-corruption campaign but expect visible follow-through and structural reforms to ensure transparent and efficient implementation of infrastructure projects.

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

THE Office of the Ombudsman has restored public access to the statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) of government officials, reversing a restrictive policy imposed during the Duterte administration that had limited transparency for more than four years.

Under Memorandum Circular No. 3 issued on Tuesday by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, the public can again request copies of SALNs, subject to safeguards that balance transparency and data privacy.

The move effectively revokes former Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires’ 2020 memo that required notarized consent from the official concerned before any SALN could be released.

The circular reinforces our constitutional duty to uphold public accountability while respecting the privacy of individuals, Assistant Ombudsman and spokesperson Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV told a news briefing.

He outlined the procedures for requesting access, including redactions of sensitive information such as home addresses, minors’ details and government-issued identification numbers.

Requesters must file a prescribed request form with valid identification. Access may be denied if the information will be used for commercial purposes, poses security threats or is linked to harassment or fictitious requests.

Each released document will carry a watermark, control number and disclaimer, and requesters must shoulder reproduction and certification costs.

Media, research institutions and other entities that publish materials derived from SALNs must provide the Ombudsman with copies or accessible links to their publications within five days of release.

Transparency advocates hailed the decision as a significant reversal of what critics called a “dark period” for public accountability. The 2020 restrictions had made it nearly impossible for journalists and watchdogs to investigate discrepancies in officials’ wealth declarations, shielding potential conflicts of interest and corruption from public scrutiny.

Mr. Remulla earlier vowed to “restore transparency” and design clear guidelines to prevent both abuse and obstruction of the public’s right to information.

Legal experts said the reform is a critical step toward rebuilding institutional trust.

“The worms of corruption thrive in the dark,” lawyer and political analyst Jesus Nicardo M. Falcis III told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat. “Releasing the SALN will shine a light that prevents those worms from thriving and multiplying.”

Dennis V. Blanco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said public access ensures accountability and allows citizens to track the financial conduct of their leaders.

“It restores the constitutional right to scrutinize how officials acquire and spend wealth,” he said in an e-mailed reply to questions. The directive must, however, be applied consistently and without political favor, he added.

Ester B. Onag, an Adamson University professor and governance analyst, said the reform reaffirms the constitutional tenet that “public office is a public trust.”

“The success of this reform will depend on how ‘reasonable access’ is defined and applied consistently across cases,” she said via Messenger chat. “At the end of the day, it is the people who will judge the actions of these officials.”