By Billy Begas
Lawyer Ade Fajardo said there is no forensic or documentary evidence linking his client, former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, to the alleged deliveries of cash-filled luggage in connection with anomalous flood control projects.
Fajardo made the statement after former soldier Orly Guteza executed a new affidavit, claiming that Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor had tapped him to make up accusations against Duterte in exchange for money and scholarships for his children.
“Hindi namin ma-predict, hindi namin mahulaan kung sino pa ang babaliktad o sino pa ang magsasabi ng katotohanan,” Fajardo said in a press conference.
“Ang kapansin-pansin lang dito is this investigation has been going on for several months,” he added. “Lumalabas, wala man lang forensic evidence or object or documentary evidence linking the former Speaker.”
Fajardo criticized what he described as reliance on oral accounts that had changed over time.
“Only oral evidence or oral testimony na alam naman natin, ito iyong pinaka-unreliable,” he said. “That’s why we have laws on perjury, libel, et cetera, kasi these things are easily manufactured.”
Aside from Guteza, four of the original 18 “Maleta Boys” earlier recanted their allegation of delivering cash-filled luggage.
“It’s a non-case,” Fajardo said. “It should be dismissed kasi wala nang ebidensya maliban sa kuwento, at ang kuwento ay iba-iba; ang kuwento ay nababaliktad.”
He noted that implicated personalities had been included or removed from the allegations as the political climate changed.
Fajardo cited the cyberlibel and perjury cases filed against Baligod and members of the witness group.
He also said government agencies, including the NBI and DOJ, had pursued cyberlibel and perjury cases against members of the group.
