AFTER picking a fight with the Sandiganbayan over the release of former senator facing non-bailable charges, Ombudsman Crispin Remulla tagged presidential cousin Martin Romualdez as behind the recantation of four ex-Marines who claimed to have delivered cash-filled suitcases to the former House Speaker.
“It is former Speaker Romualdez. Syempre… syempre, sino pa ba ang makikinabang pag nagrecant ang mga yan?” Remulla told reporters in a press conference.
Romualdez is under preliminary investigation for plunder, graft, and direct bribery in connection with alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
In February 2026, a group of 18 former members of the Philippine Marine Corps who worked as security personnel of former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co, testified to have delivered suitcases of cash to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Romualdez, Co and other personalities.
However, only eight of the 18 former soldiers submitted affidavits before the Office of the Ombudsman. Of the eight, four recanted.
By his own admission Remulla said he’s expecting new developments to unfold in the next few days, which he attributed to Atty. Levi Baligod’s “colorful character.”
“Baligod is a very colorful character. That’s what he is. I mean, from the PDAF days, you do your research on what Mr. Baligod did during the PDAF cases of Napoles,” averred the Ombudsman in reference to the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam involving prominent politicians and businesswoman Janet Napoles.
Baligod was then the lawyer of state witness Benhur Luy.
“I’m not the best source for what kind of person he is. I think other people can tell you,” Remulla added.
He also categorically described Baligod as “untrustworthy.”
