Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced on Monday, April 6, that former Senate president Francis “Chiz” Escudero and former House speaker Martin Romualdez will face plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan over their alleged roles in multi-billion-peso flood control anomalies.
In a press conference, Remulla said his office will file the plunder cases by next month.
Remulla did not give the details of the charges. Neither Escudero nor Romualdez could be contracted for comment as of Monday afternoon.
“There was a conspiracy to commit plunder, and the case is flood-control related in many ways,” he said.
He added that Ombudsman prosecutors are currently “tying up” loose ends.
“It’s actually the way that the budget was passed upon with the two Houses and how many things happened to have been implemented because of that,” he said, giving a hint on the charges.
At the same time, Remulla said that more individuals will be charged before the Sandiganbayan, including officials from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
He pointed out that Ombudsman prosecutors have looked into the 2024 and 2025 budgets as the basis for the plunder case.
He referred to the testimonies of witnesses during the Senate probe. “I think you can put everything together, and it doesn’t take a genius to do it.”
Escudero and Romualdez have denied involvement in the anomalous flood control projects. (Czarina Nicole Ong Ki)
