Ombudsman: Bonoan’s state witness bid made to pin down Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday said it accepted former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief Manuel Bonoan’s offer to become a state witness, as he can testify against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in flood-control-related cases.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano also admitted that it was a “tough decision” needed to strengthen the case against Romualdez, which he said could change the country’s history.

READ: Remulla: Ex-DPWH chief Bonoan to be used as state witness

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“The reason why we made him a state witness is because of the grand case of conspiracy and plunder, and the cause and effect of this is former Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Clavano said in a press conference.

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Clavano noted that the House leadership at the time “meddled with” the DPWH’s budget under Bonoan.

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],” according to state prosecutors.

READ: Sandiganbayan denies Romualdez’s bid to lift travel ban

Clavano noted that “corruption, in this magnitude, especially,” has no paper trail.

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“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 said.

“He was there himself, he talked to the congressmen himself, he talked to the cabinet secretaries himself,” he added.

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Clavano also said the antigraft body considered Bonoan’s age and illnesses before its prosecutors filed a motion to discharge the plunder case filed against the former DPWH chief before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division.

Bonoan is still charged with plunder in a P573-million case involving Sen. Jinggoy Estrada filed before the same anti-graft court division.

The division granted Bonoan’s motion for hospital arrest at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame since he is suffering from chronic renal disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gouty arthritis, a spinal condition called spondylolisthesis, and prostate cancer.

READ: Sandiganbayan OKs hospital arrest for ex-DPWH chief Bonoan

“You have somebody who was charged already with plunder, and you have another case which could change the history of the Philippines because we are trying to exact accountability on one of the biggest heists on our budget,” Clavano said.

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“We would rather go for the bigger case than have him (Bonoan) rot in jail for how many years?” he added. /mcm