Former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. —Inquirer photo/Niño Jesus Orbeta
MANILA, Philippines — Over P27 billion worth of projects were allegedly inserted for former House Speaker Martin Romualdez upon the instructions of late Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, a witness told the Sandiganbayan on Monday.
Peter Paul Cortez, chief of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) programming division, made this known during the bail hearing of Romualdez, who is facing plunder charges stemming from alleged kickbacks worth P7.44 billion.
In his written testimony submitted to the Sandiganbayan Third Division, Cortez said the alleged P27.4 billion worth of insertions covered 444 projects included in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Cortez confirmed that the said amount was “the total projects tagged under [former] Speaker [Romualdez].”
“It was from Usec Cathy. She gave the [name] of the proponent so we tagged them as from Speaker [Romualdez],” he said.
Cortez also tagged Romualdez’s co-accused, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, as one of the proponents.
Associate Justice Karl Miranda, chair of the Third Division, asked why Cortez referred to Romualdez and Co as those who inserted the projects, as stated in his judicial affidavit.
“Per record of our database, they are the ones tagged as proponents. Actually, our term there is ‘inserted’,” Cortez said.
Cortez explained his division “assumed” that Romualdez and Co were the proponents because Cabral provided the names to be encoded in the DPWH database.
“Based on the database, their names are referred to as proponents,” he added.
Miranda asked if the alleged insertions appeared in the GAA without passing through the DPWH. Cortez responded in the affirmative.
Miranda pressed, “Are you sure?” Cortez responded, “Yes.”
Furthermore, Cortez said the alleged project insertions have “no supporting documents” like feasibility studies.
However, Cortez said “I have no knowledge” if the proponents receive “commitments” or kickbacks from the projects.
Cortez said he has no personal knowledge on the alleged insertions, saying that his job was only clerical in nature.
He also said it is only Cabral who could confirm if Romualdez agreed to be a proponent.