It was a week of thrills and surprises in the national political scene. But this column will not be about the ICC warrant of arrest for Sen. Bato de la Rosa or the ongoing impeachment trial at the Senate.
This will be on a different issue closer to the local scene.
A couple of issues ago, I mentioned that a good defense is the best offense. That was immediately after former Speaker Martin Romualdez took to social media to announce that he was not at the center of the unprecedented corruption in public infrastructure projects.
He came out swinging. It looked like he was even making a public appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. He must have felt that his back was against the wall. He had to state his position clearly and directly, without resorting to spokespersons or having his lawyers do the talking.
That was an exceptional show of brinkmanship. When shots are being fired at you from all sides, you have to defend yourself and defend well to beat the opposition.
Given what has been happening, it seems his strategy has at least slowed the onslaught of negative publicity.
The attacks slowed down, but are still there. No matter what some defenders say, the attacks have implications for the administration. What appears to be befuddling is why the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is continuing the investigation into former Speaker Romualdez, given their close family relations and the Speaker's central role in the budget process, in the same manner as the President.
The Office of the Ombudsman stated recently that his case is now at the preliminary investigation stage. Given the existence of testimonial, documentary, and circumstantial evidence that has been widely reported by the media, it is clear that there is sufficient evidence to establish probable cause warranting the filing of charges with the Sandiganbayan. But whether there is reasonable certainty of conviction is another matter.
That the charges can be substantiated does not mean that the former Speaker will be adjudged guilty. The right of the accused to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise is among the rights of the accused enshrined in our Constitution. This is accompanied by the right to remain silent, the right to due process, and many more.
Former Speaker Romualdez can get the most qualified and skilled lawyers in the land to mount an effective defense in a legal tussle that can extend for years, as is the case in most, if not all, Sandiganbayan cases.
It does not appear he will have difficulty benefiting from expert legal assistance.
It is the available evidence that will matter. Through the media, we know that witnesses have come out in televised testimonies, describing the delivery of suitcases of cash, the numerous properties supposedly linked to him but owned by companies led by his close associates, and the fact of his being the Speaker of the House of Representatives that, as stated in the Constitution, holds the power over the purse, or the natinal budget that finances infrastructure projects.
Blanket denials do not count in criminal cases. The former Speaker has to answer the allegations point by point. The court is very strict in enforcing the rules of evidence and the implications arising from their application.
The documentary evidence is enormous. Boxes of DPWH and DBM documents have been gathered and are awaiting analysis and use in any ensuing trials.
Therefore, there is no lack of evidence. However, people in government, our prosecutors, especially the Office of the Ombudsman, have to act.
In the final analysis, given our hierarchical society, the President's decision matters. It is the one that really counts in keeping the wheels of justice grinding in this regard. I hope it does not grind to a screeching halt as the 2028 elections approach, so this issue is cleared up.
The next State of the Nation address is only some 60 days away. After saying “mahiya naman kayo,” what will be the most repeated slogan of that speech? I can think of many humorous phrases.
To go back to the title of this column, after the unprecedented social media talk about former Speaker Romualdez, will there be a follow-up so he can put up a defense before the Ombudsman files charges against him or before the next SONA?
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews