Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and legal representatives for former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez separately moved to dismiss allegations raised in a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday, citing a total lack of documentary evidence and contradictory sworn testimonies.
Senator Lacson clarified that the information currently gathered by the committee fails to reach the evidentiary threshold required to implicate the former Speaker in a controversial property acquisition.
“I repeat hindi ito enough, itong information is not enough to implicate not even implicate the former Speaker. This is just, we may just consider this as a lead kasi mayroong connection but of course dineny naman ni Curlee Discaya so let’s leave it at that,” Lacson stated during the proceedings.
‘Logically and Physically Impossible’ Atty. Ade Fajardo, spokesperson for former Speaker Romualdez, echoed this sentiment, describing the claims as baseless. He pointed out that the testimony of contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya directly debunked the narrative provided by two witnesses, identified by the aliases “Joy” and “Marie.”
“The allegations aired in the Senate are logically and physically impossible,” Fajardo said. “Curlee Discaya testified under oath that he has never entered South Forbes Park, making it impossible for him to have approached anyone there or issued any instruction.”
Under oath, Discaya told the Senate: “Hindi pa kami nakakapasok sa South Forbes Park. Hindi namin alam kung itsura ng mga bahay diyan.” (We haven’t even entered South Forbes Park. We don’t even know what the houses there look like.)
Absence of Documentary Proof The investigation centers on claims that a businessman acting as a contractor identified Romualdez as a property buyer. However, Atty. Fajardo noted that the accusations trace back solely to the staff of an evicted tenant and lack any supporting documentation.
“The claims come solely from the staff of an evicted tenant, unsupported by any document,” Fajardo said, noting that Romualdez’s name “appears in no deed, contract, or payment record related to the property.”
Fajardo concluded that the record currently leaves the former Speaker with nothing to respond to. “There is no evidence—only hearsay and possibly perjured statements—and therefore nothing to answer,” he added, stressing that conjecture without verifiable records does not amount to proof.
The Senate record currently reflects that no deed of sale, contract, or financial record has been presented to link Romualdez to the South Forbes Park residence, rendering the testimonies as mere “leads” rather than actionable evidence.
