The results of his life work’s research may be challenged, but nobody can question Carl Sagan’s method of trying to arrive at the truth. It is the height of scientific inquiry.
Sagan was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. Wikipedia credits him for his best known scientific contribution, which is his research on the possibility of extra-terrestial life.
He also indulged in experiments on the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by exposure to light.
But I remember him today—from out of the blue—because of the very courageous and extraordinarily frank accusations hurled by retired Marine sergeant Orly Guteza against ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez, now a representative of the first district of Leyte.
You see, Carl Sagan popularized Hitchens’s Razor, which states that “What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.”
Sagan went even further. He said “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Both philosophical precepts are used in the debate on the existence of god.
Guteza has claimed under oath before the Senate blue ribbon committee that he and his companions delivered oodles of dirty money in suitcases to Martin’s residences. These were purportedly bribe money collected by former party-list Rep. Zaldy Co for the ex-speaker. The oodles were originally packed in noodles (carton) boxes—directly from the banks of project contractors and/or the DPWH district offices.
Hitchens’s Razor requires a flawless burden of proof: the individual making an assertion is responsible for providing evidence to support it. It behooves on Guteza and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to provide evidence for the Marine sergeant’s claims.
As we analyze this narrative guided by Hitchens and Sagan, we received an input from the other side. It is important to hear this, too, since info gathering from all sources is important to arrive at the truth. Here it is:
“According to Guteza, he, along with other aides, delivered 46 suitcases of cold cash to Romualdez and Co, each containing P48 million for a total of P2.208 billion. Wow! But then, let’s check on its technical aspect. P48 million at P1,000 bills would equal 48,000 notes and each note weighs 1 gram. Meaning 48,000 P1,000 bill stuffed in a suitcase would weigh 48 kilos excluding the weight of the suitcase which we could put at four to five kilos which would place a suitcase with P48 million weighing around 52 to 53 kilos each. Just imagine how difficult it would be to carry a compact suitcase weighing more than 50 kilos. In fact, most airlines refuse to accept check-in luggage weighing more than 35 kilos.
“Now, how many vans would be needed to transport that much money? With 46 suitcases weighing 52-53 kilos each, that would total to about 2.392 to 2.438 tons. With the vans capacity pegged at 1 ton each, Guteza would have to employ the services of at least three vans. That of course excludes the required security personnel to guard such an enormous amount of money. How many personnel? I’m not sure how many 52-43 kilo suitcase can one person carry in a delivery operation not expected to last an hour as it may attract too much attention.”
Then, there is also the twist that lawyer Petchie Rose Espera came out to deny she notarized Guteza’s sworn statement.
Most damning is the appearance of Mark Bunagan and Allan Colesio whom Guteza named as co-security personnel under Co. The two executed their own affidavits refuting what he had earlier claimed.
According to Bunagan, Guteza was only employed by the family of Zaldy Co on February 1, 2025 until he resigned last August.
There are many more details that may perhaps be threshed out by the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) which President Marcos has created.
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