The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearing turned into a failed fishing expedition Monday as allegations against former Speaker Martin Romualdez crumbled under scrutiny. Two witnesses, both former staff of a South Forbes Park tenant, claimed a businessman visited the property, name-dropped Romualdez, and acted as a contractor. But their story fell apart.
The supposed “businessman” testified under oath that he’d never set foot in South Forbes Park and didn’t know the property’s layout. This directly contradicted the witnesses’ accounts, making their claims look flaky.
Adding to the mess, there’s zero documentary evidence linking Romualdez to the property. No deed of sale, no contract, no payment receipts – nothing.
The witnesses’ testimonies are now being questioned, with some saying they’re based on hearsay.
Observers say the witnesses weren’t buyers, sellers, or signatories, and had no direct involvement in the lease or sale. “In law, allegations aren’t enough,” a legal expert noted. “Ownership requires documents, not hearsay.”
The controversy seems rooted in a non-renewed lease, a private matter critics say is being blown out of proportion to drag Romualdez’s name through the mud. Despite the hype, records show Romualdez wasn’t the tenant, owner, buyer, or beneficiary.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, who initiated the probe, is facing backlash for allegedly rushing the hearing without solid evidence. “This is a clear case of harassment,” a Romualdez ally said.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will reconvene, but for now, the allegations against Romualdez seem to have fizzled out
