Former DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan. Photo courtesy of PNA/Avito Dalan.
With the Office of the Ombudsman accepting former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel ‘Manny’ Bonoan as state witness, the ex-Cabinet official could testify against former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez in flood-control-related cases.
According to Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, Bonoan’s acceptance as state witness could pin down Romualdez but he likewise admitted that it was a “tough decision” needed to strengthen the case against the cousin of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
This, Clavano cited, could change the country’s history.
“The reason why we made him a state witness is because of the grand case of conspiracy and plunder as well asthe cause and effect of this is former Speaker Martin Romualdez,” the assistant Ombudsman disclosed in a press conference.
He noted that the House leadership at the time “meddled with” the DPWH’s budget under Bonoan.
“In this scheme we know that the lawmakers are the ones calling the shots,” he pointed out to hint that “the former House Speaker may have had a big role to play when talk(ing) about percentages.”
Accordingly, state prosecutors spelled out that the complaint filed against Romualdez before the Ombudsman “involves the alleged kickback scheme tied to flood control projects, purportedly masterminded by the respondent, with the total amount of such kickbacks reaching approximately (P56 billion).”
“Corruption, in this magnitude, especially, has no paper trail. What you can get, however, are conversations, statements, testimonies from people who were there in the room, so the role of Secretary Bonoan is very important,” Clavano asserted.
“He was there himself, he talked to the congressmen himself, he talked to the cabinet secretaries himself,” he added.
At this point, the assistant Ombudsman was queried what would happen if the probe led to President Marcos Jr. himself.
Clavano calmly replied: “We are not partial to anyone and the Ombudsman has always said we will follow the evidence. And if the evidence is there, who are we to stop that from coming out?”