Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday emphasized on Monday that the filing of criminal cases against House Speaker Martin Romualdez has nothing to do with the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte by the House of Representatives.
“Wala, magkahiwalay yan. Kasi iba naman yung impeachment at ito criminal case ito,” Alvarez told the media.
Alvarez together with lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and the Citizens Crime Watch filed on Monday the criminal and graft cases against House Speaker Martin Romualdez and others before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged P241-billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget.
“Wala namang timing yung criminal case, kung gumawa ka ng krimen, yun ang timing. Gumawa ka ng krimen alangan namang i-file mo yan sa susunod na taon? I-file mo yan sa nakaraang taon? Hindi puwede. Ginawa nila yan recently, kaya kinakailangan aksyunan kaagad natin,” Alvarez said.
The group filed falsification of legislative documents and graft against Romualdez, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, former House Appropriations Committee Chair and Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, and acting Appropriations Committee Chair Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo.
Aside from the four officials, two “John Does” were also referred to in the complaint sheet, who are also facing the same complaints for violating Article 170 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 3(e) of RA No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Alvarez, who is a former Speaker during the Duterte administration, stressed that no amount of P241 billion was approved in the Bicameral Conference Committee Report and it was not approved by the plenary either for the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“Ako bilang isang nakaupong congressman ay kailangan ipakita ko sa taumbayan na kung merong mali seguro kailangan nating panagutin kung sino yung may gawa nung krimen. Walang nangyayari sa HoR na hindi alam ng Speaker of the House, lahat yan ay may basbas ng Speaker. Walang gagalaw diyan kapag hindi sinabi ng Speaker. Kaya segurado ako itong si Martin Romualdez ay talagang siya ang may pakana nito lahat,” he said in a press conference last Friday.
