Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan might be under pressure to implicate former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in the Ombudsman’s investigation into the flood control scam.
Lawyer Ade Fajardo, a spokesman for the Leyte 1st District representative, raised this possibility, pointing out that Bonoan has not spoken a word against Romualdez more than a year after the scam came to light in July 2025.
In an interview on dzRH’s Dos for Dos, hosted by Anthony Taberna and Gerry Baja, Fajardo said Romualdez’s accusers have not produced any evidence against the former House leader.
He said the accusations against the Leyte congressman are nothing more than baseless stories.
“Wala po talagang ebidensya, kasi wala talagang kinalaman si dating speaker dito sa flood control anomaly. ‘Pag ganyan po walang ebidensya pero madami nang sinasabi ang mga kinauukulan na malakas ang kaso, medyo ang dating sa amin po ‘yan ay bola po ‘yan kasi hanggang ngayon walang naisasampang kaso sa korte, walang criminal cases,” he said.
“Ibig sabihin, wala pong ebidensya o kakulangan ng ebidensya ay sobrang lawak na mahirap punan ng kwento-kwento lang po,” he added.
Fajardo reiterated that they were alarmed and surprised by reports that the Ombudsman planned to use Bonoan to implicate Romualdez, since the former DPWH secretary and other department officials who have been investigated have not linked the former Speaker to the flood control scam.
He said Bonoan is now under significant pressure, given that he is under hospital arrest and might soon be transferred to a regular jail.
“So nakakapagtaka po. Kasi nga ngayon siyempre nasa hospital arrest. May posibilidad na siya, halimbawa, ma-clear siya medically ay siya ay ililipat sa regular na kulungan. ‘Yan ay siyempre medyo maraming pressure sa utak niya,” he said.
“I think he’s more than 80 years old. Sabihin natin nasa takip silim siya sa kanyang pananatili sa ating mundo. Kaya medyo marami ng pressure sa utak ninyo,” he said.
The Romualdez spokesman pointed out that it would not be far-fetched for Bonoan to be asked to fill the “evidentiary gap” against his principal, which he described as being two streams or two rivers wide.
“Kaya kami po ay hindi nagtataka na dahil medyo, alam niyo na, dahil wala nga, sabi ko na parang dalawang batis ng isang malawak na ilog na di mo malalagyan ng ebidensya kaya itutulayan mo kung ano ano. In this case, bigla nalang parang nagkaroon ng perfect memory si Sec. Bonoan in case totoo nga yung balita na siya ay tetestigo para lamang ituro itong si dating Speaker Romualdez,” he stressed.
Asked if he was suggesting that Bonoan was being manipulated, Fajardo said he did not know this for a fact, but that there were many possibilities given the former DPWH chief’s situation.
“Hindi namin alam yan as a fact. Pero siyempre bilang nag-iisip tayo lahat, hindi pong malayo ang pusibilidad na maraming factors pong pumapasok sa isip ni Sec. Bonoan,” he said.
He questioned why the former secretary would speak now when he had remained silent since the scandal erupted more than a year ago.
Fajardo said this is why the Romualdez camp could not be faulted for considering a scenario in which evidence might be produced to implicate the former Speaker in the flood control scam.
“Kaya nga kung noon pa man alam niya na pala lahat ito, bakit hindi niya isiniwalat at bakit ngayon lang lumalabas na tila bagang walang usad sa fact-finding investigation. Kaya kami siyempre hindi mo masisi na nag-iisip bakit nagkakaganito ngayon,” he said.
He reiterated that there has been no investigation of the Leyte congressman and that, based on news reports, the Office of the Ombudsman is conducting a fact-finding investigation that has not yet progressed to a preliminary investigation.
“Wala pa po. Kasi actual subpoena, lalabas po ‘yan kung magsisimula na ang preliminary investigation. Pina-submit ka ng counter affidavit or defense. At this time po, wala po kaming kaalaman na nag-issue na ng ganyan ang Ombudsman. At handa po kaming sagutin yan sakali mang maglabas sila ng subpoena,” he said.
