By Jose Cielito Reganit and Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Monday described the privilege speech of Senator Francis Escudero as a political maneuver aimed at alignment with Vice President Sara Duterte for the 2028 elections.
Escudero accused Romualdez of orchestrating what he called a “script and sarswela (dramatics)” to divert public outrage over ghost and substandard flood control projects away from the House of Representatives and toward senators.
“I listened to the privilege speech of Sen. Chiz Escudero. With respect, what we heard was not an exposé but a DDS (Digong Duterte Supporters) script — the same recycled accusations we have on troll pages and social media posts. Walang bago at wala rin katotohanan (Nothing new and nothing true at all),” Romualdez said in a press statement.
Romualdez stressed that the speech was crafted to display loyalty to Duterte as part of Escudero’s positioning for 2028.
“It was a performance designed to profess loyalty and service to Vice President Sara Duterte, and to position himself as her ally for 2028. Ang tunay na pinagsisilbihan ay hindi ang katotohanan, kundi ang sariling interes at plano sa politika (He is serving his own interest and political plans, not the truth),” he noted.
Romualdez maintained that he has nothing to hide and is ready to face impartial investigations.
“For my part, I will continue to cooperate with every impartial investigation. My record can withstand scrutiny. Wala akong itinatago (I am not hiding anything),” he said.
The former House leader pointed out that instead of confronting issues raised against him, Escudero resorted to deflection.
“Instead of answering the serious questions he himself must face, Sen. Escudero chose to deflect. He did not deny the allegations against him. He did not explain his own role in flood-control kickbacks,” he said, adding that the senator’s privilege speech was not anchored on accountability but on political ambition.
In a plenary manifestation, Escudero said senators were being made “fall guys” despite testimonies showing no direct links to them.
“Kapani-paniwala ba na wala silang kinausap na kahit isang congressman? Lahat ito, para lang ipako ang mga senador sa media at publiko, at ilayo ang atensyon sa Kamara at (Is it believable that they did not speak to any sitting Congressman? All of this is meant to crucify senators before the media and the public, and divert attention away from the House and) congressmen,” he said.
He said Romualdez is behind the scheme, citing the testimony of retired Philippine Marines Master Sgt. Orly Guteza, who claimed to have personally delivered billions of pesos in cash-filled suitcases to Romualdez’s residences.
Escudero warned that the Senate was being unfairly maligned and vowed to resist what he called selective justice. (PNA)
