Romualdez camp claims Ombudsman 'prejudged' him in flood control mess

The camp of Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez on Tuesday said the Office of the Ombudsman seems to have "prejudged" him as the mastermind of the flood control mess even before the conclusion of its probe. "Well, sa amin pong appreciation, at kami ay nangangamba na dahil sa maraming mga pampublikong posisyon ng kasalukuyang Ombudsman ay parang na-prejudge na, or parang meron nang konklusyon na nabuo, at hinahabol ang ebidensiya para lang masuportahan 'yung…legal conclusion na sa amin namang palagay ay wala nga,” Romualdez's lawyer Ade Fajardo said in a statement. (Based on our appreciation, we are worried because many of the Ombudsman’s public remarks seem to have prejudged, or have reached a conclusion, and are now chasing evidence, that we believe isn't there, to support the legal conclusion.) Romualdez is under investigation by the Ombudsman for alleged plunder, graft, bribery and money laundering in connection with supposed defrauding the national budget and the flood control issue. “Ang naging problema namin diyan kasi nga at this stage po ng investigation, ang hinihiling po ng ating mga alituntunin at ng ating batas at mismong Saligang Batas ay fairness and impartiality,” Fajardo said. (Our problem here is that at this stage of the investigation, our Constitution mandates fairness and impartiality.) “Ang tawag namin po diyan ay prejudicial, at in effect parang ginagatungan 'yung anumang kaisipan,” Fajardo added. (We call that prejudicial, and as if its purpose is just egging on a foregone conclusion.) Fajardo then urged Ombudsman to resolve the complaints based on evidence properly disclosed and weighed during the proceedings. — BM, GMA News