Former DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan. Photo courtesy of PNA/Avito Dalan.
Former House speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez’s camp claimed former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan was being pressured to provide evidence linking the lawmaker to alleged infrastructure corruption.
Romualdez spokesperson Ade Fajardo said Bonoan likely had no incriminating information but was placed in a difficult position after investigators considered presenting him as a state witness.
Fajardo argued that the move suggested authorities lacked documents or other direct evidence tying Romualdez to the questioned projects.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano earlier said Bonoan was being considered as a state witness to strengthen the case against the former House speaker.
Fajardo also cited the grant of bail to former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., saying it showed the difficulty of proving similar allegations even when a witness claimed to have delivered money.
He maintained that the accusations against Romualdez relied mainly on statements from former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co’s security personnel and were not supported by footage, photographs or records.
Romualdez’s lawyers had previously alleged that Bonoan was under pressure from the Office of the Ombudsman and could be influenced by the possibility of transfer from hospital detention to a regular jail facility.
Romualdez denied involvement in anomalous budget insertions and flood control projects. Contractors and Co had linked him to the alleged scheme, but his camp maintained that the claims were unsupported.
