Romualdez has been ordered to answer serious flood-control allegations under oath, but no court has ruled on the accusations.
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered former House speaker and current Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez, along with other respondents, to file counter-affidavits within 15 days from receiving the order.
The complaints involve possible plunder, graft, bribery, and money laundering tied to the flood-control controversy. Ombudsman investigators have also cited an alleged ₱56 billion in ill-gotten wealth from 2022 to 2025.
Those are still allegations. The order does not mean Romualdez has been charged in court, found liable, or found guilty.
What it does mean is that he must now answer the complaint under oath. He may challenge witness statements, question documents, present his own records, and argue that the evidence is weak or wrong.
The next major step will come after the Ombudsman studies the complaint, the counter-affidavits, and any replies. That is when investigators will decide which accusations should move forward and which should be dismissed.
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