Guteza withdraws allegations vs Romualdez, dealing blow to Ombudsman complaint

MANILA, Philippines – Former Marine Orly Guteza, who once implicated former speaker Martin Romualdez in the public works corruption scandal, has withdrawn his allegations against the President’s cousin, dealing a huge blow to the case build-up of the Ombudsman against him.

Based on a copy of his sworn statement first reported by GMA News on Wednesday, August 19, Guteza, a former security aide of former congressman Zaldy Co, alleged that he had been persuaded by Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former congressman Mike Defensor — both under detention over plunder charges — to link Romualdez to the budget kickback scheme. 

Guteza said he met with the two politicians at a Japanese restaurant in Pasay on September 24, 2025, a day before his appearance at the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing then chaired by Marcoleta. 

Guteza said that despite telling Defensor that he had no knowledge of supposed cash-filled luggage deliveries to Valle Verde, he had been persuaded by the former lawmaker to say otherwise. Defensor’s son-in-law Mark supposedly prepared the affidavit during that meeting. 

“Out of fear and apprehension, everything stated in the affidavit they prepared was something I said I had witnessed, even though it was not true, including the claim that I was involved in the three deliveries of suitcases to the alleged residence of (Martin Romualdez) at Forbes Park,” Guteza claimed in Filipino.

Guteza alleged that he was promised a reward of P150 million, on top of scholarships for his children.

“I was extremely confused during that time. Even while I was driving, I would talk to my wife and ask for her forgiveness because I had been swayed by the sweet promises of Defensor and Marcoleta, which led me to allow myself to be used extensively,” Guteza added. 

Guteza is a crucial puzzle piece in the Ombudsman’s case build-up. His testimony has been cited to establish an alleged kickback scheme involving the deliveries of wads of cash tucked inside suitcases from Co’s properties to Romualdez’s properties. 

The supplemental complaint of the Ombudsman explicitly names Guteza as among the personnel who delivered cash-filled luggages from Co’s unit at Horizon Homes to Romualdez’s residence at 42 Mckinley.

His recantation came more than two weeks after four of the 18 so-called “maleta boys” did the same. They are Rosebert Waupan, Cecilio Larroder Jr., Benny Bulontate, and Bernard Tube. 

Except for Larroder, the three are among the eight individuals who submitted additional testimonies that the Ombudsman used in its supplemental complaint-affidavit. Five others have not withdrawn their sworn statements. 

The Ombudsman complaint is the foundation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement during his State of the Nation Address, when he said his cousin was set to be charged in relation to the biggest scandal faced by his administration. 

Downplay

In a statement Thursday, August 20, the Ombudsman downplayed the recantation, and said it has 28 other witnesses — uniformed personnel in active service — ready to testify against Romualdez.

“This is a classic pressure tactic. The entire investigation does not revolve around one or a few witnesses,” the Office of the Ombudsman said. “The search for truth will not stop even if anyone does not want to speak.”

Romualdez’s lawyer Ade Fajarda, in a press conference also on Thursday, said new supplemental evidence to be submitted to the Ombudsman would include sworn statements of 25 former aides of Co, challenging the claims of the so-called “maleta boys.”

“We reject any insinuation that we have anything to do with the recantations of the witnesses,” Fajardo said. 

Lacson: Recantation ‘not surprising’

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, former chair of the Senate blue ribbon panel that probed flood control corruption, said Guteza’s recantation did not come as a surprise.

“While figuratively, testimonies and recantations are ‘one dime a dozen’ these days, ironically, they have  become a lucrative business especially when targeting politicians,” Lacson said.

Senate blue ribbon committee chair Erwin Tulfo said they are leaving Guteza’s case to the Ombudsman, since the ultimate purpose of their flood control corruption prove is accountability. 

“’Doon na ho sa kanila ho ‘yun ah para ika nga isa na lang kasi ang purpose ho natin, ayan din po ‘yung sinasabi ko noon na taken out of context ng ilan na ayaw ko na magpa-imbestiga. Hindi po. Gusto nating ma-imbestigahan pero gusto ho natin ‘wag lang imbestigasyon, accountability. Eh ang pinaka-fast way to hold these officials accountable, Ombudsman na,” Tulfo said. 

(That is up to them because, as I had said — I was taken out of context by some that I don’t to have an investigation — no, we want an investigation but we don’t want to stop there, we also want accountaibility. And the fastest wat to hold these officials accountable is through the Ombudsman.)

Tulfo cited the “speed” of the Ombudsman in handling cases that led to the arrest of some officials.

“Eh kung dadaan pa po dito sa amin, it will take one month, two months hearing hearing tapos ngayon budget hearing na ‘di ba merong pang meron pang trial ang impeachment trial. Eh siguro pag sa Ombudsman kasi mas mabilis na,” he said. “Then i-sampa niya na lang sa Sandiganbayan, mas mabilis po ‘yun,” he added.

(If this will go through us, it would take one or two months of hearings. Then we have the budget hearings and the impeachment trial, right? So I think it would be faster if the cases will go through the Ombudsman and filed with the Sandiganbayan.)

Marcoleta denied Guteza’s accusations in a statement released on his official Facebook page on Friday, August 28,

“It is improbable for myself and Rep. Defensor to concoct a detailed account of the massive transport of money in luggages within one hour in a restaurant,” he said.

“It is implausible that within a few minutes of my arrival at said restaurant and got introduced to Guteza, I could have probed his character, developed complete trust and confidence in him, acquainted myself with the details of his narrative, re-wrote his account, instructed him on the succeeding steps,  and then dashed back to the Senate,” the detained senator added.  – with reports from Sundy Locus/ Rappler.com