“I say this with all honesty: I have never, and I will never, accept a bribe from anybody.”
This was the firm declaration of House Speaker Martin Romualdez as he rejected allegations made by contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya ll, who accused him and several other lawmakers of receiving juicy commissions from flood control projects.
“The claim in the Discaya couple’s affidavit that my name was used for commissions is false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping, “Romualdez said in a statement on Monday, Sept. 8.
“ Wala akong kinalaman, wala akong pahintulot, at wala akong basbas sa mga ganyang gawain.”
“I cannot and will not allow lies and name-dropping to pass unchecked,” the Leyte 1st district congressman and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president stressed.
“Walang sinuman ang kayang manuhol sa akin. Alam iyan ng lahat ng House members,” he added.
“I am self-made, and I have been blessed with the trust of the Filipino people. I do not need—and will never allow myself—to be corrupted by money that does not belong to me,” Romualdez further said.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the same day, Curlee Discaya, husband of Sarah Discaya, publicly named several lawmakers whom he alleged received “percentages” from budget allocations for flood control projects.
The contractor said he heard Romualdez’s name mentioned by some of the solons whom he dealt with.
“Congress debates and approves the budget. It does not release funds. It does not implement projects. That is the sole duty of the Executive and agencies like the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways).
“If anyone invoked my name, they did so without my knowledge and without my consent. At kung ginawa nila iyon para kumita, sila ang mandaraya at sila ang dapat managot—kahit sino pa sila, sa loob o labas ng gobyerno,” he explained. (Ellson Quismorio)
