MANILA — Former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has been directly linked to alleged corruption in flood control projects by Orly Regala Guteza, who claimed to have worked as a security consultant for Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

Guteza, a former member of the Philippine Marines, was presented by Senator Rodante Marcoleta as a surprise witness during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on September 25, 2025. He said he was hired as Co’s security aide in December 2024.

“Bawat umaga, nag-rereport ako sa 56 floor Horizon residences, Bonifacio Global City kung saan nakatira si Congressman Zaldy Co,” Guteza said, reading from his sworn affidavit.

He added, “Tuwing may duty at detailed ako sa ‘basura,’ pumupunta kami sa 28 Ladybug corner Dragonfly Valle Verde 6, Pasig City. Tagabuhat lang ako ng maleta ng basura. Ang ibig sabihin ng basura ay maleta na may lamang pera. Ang bawat maleta ay may lamang humigit kumulang 48 Million Pesos. Ang bawat maleta ay may post-it na nakadikit na nakasaad kung magkano ang laman ng bawat maleta.”

Guteza stated that they delivered the suitcases of money to Co’s house in Pasig City, where they were received by Co’s executive assistants, identified as John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay.

“Alam ko na ang laman ng maleta ay pera sapagkat nakita ko si Paul na binuksan ang maleta at nilabas ang laman na pera para bilangin,” Guteza said.

“Pagkatapos mabilang, isinasakay na namin sa mga sasakyan patungo sa Horizon Residences, Taguig. Pagdating sa Horizon Residences, dumideretso kami sa basement upang maibaba ang nasabing basura at dalhin sa unit ni Congressman Zaldy Co sa 56th floor sa naisabing lugar kung saan siya nakatira,” he added.

He also alleged that Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, a former representative of the ACT-CIS party-list, delivered 46 suitcases of money to Co’s residence.

“Ang isang ehemplo na nagdala ng pera ay si Congressman Eric Yap ng ACT CIS Partylist. Apatnapu’t anim na maleta ang dala niya sa bahay ni Zaldy Co sa Valle Verde 6,” according to Guteza.

“Bago ibaba ang nasabing basura, ito ay bawas na. Halimbawa, nag-akyat kami ng 46 maleta, ibababa lang namin ay 35 maleta para i-deliver sa bahay ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez sa 42 McKinley Street, Taguig. Ang 11 maleta ay naiwan sa taas sa 56th floor Horizon Residences,” Guteza further said.

“Humigit kumulang tatlong beses ako mismo ang nag-deliver ng basura sa bahay ni Congressman Zaldy Co sa Horizon Residences at sa mga bahay ni Speaker Romualdez sa 42 McKinley Street, Taguig,” he added.

Guteza further said that he had been delivering money to the residences of Romualdez and Co three times a week since December 2024 until he resigned in August this year.

Asked which residences of Romualdez he delivered the suitcases of money to, Guteza said, “‘Yung 42 McKinley Street sa Forbes Park…meron pa ‘yung bago, nung nakaraan doon sa dating bahay ni Michael Yang…[at] Aguado diyan sa Malacañang.”

In the early part of the committee hearing, Rep. Co was also linked to the flood control kickback scheme by former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

In earlier hearings of the committee, Rep. Co was already mentioned as a recipient of large amounts of kickbacks from flood control projects by both former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara and former Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez.

“Sa huli, ako po ay nagnanais na mapasa-ilalim sa Witness Protection Program dahil alam ko po na manganganib ang buhay ko at ang aking pamilya sa ginawa kong paglalahad na ito,” Guteza concluded.

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