Manila: Former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Monday denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s allegations linking him to illegal gambling and supposed deliveries of cash claims, calling them baseless and fabricated. ‘Naririnig ko ang mga akusasyon. Diretsahan kong sasabihin: hindi totoo na ako’y tumatanggap mula sa ilegal na sugal (I heard the accusations. Directly, I would say: It’s not true that I was receiving money from illegal gambling),’ the Leyte representative said, adding that the stories about alleged ‘suitcases of cash’ are ‘pure fiction’ meant to tarnish his name.
According to Philippines News Agency, Romualdez emphasized that the accusations lack any form of evidence, describing them as mere hearsay. ‘Lahat guni-guni. Madaling magturo, madaling mag-imbento – pero ang katotohanan, hindi kayang patunayan. Until today, wala pa ring ipinakitang ebidensya – puro sabi-sabi lang na inuulit-ulit (It’s easy to finger-point, it’s easy to invent – but the truth is – it can’t be proven. Until today, there is still no evidence shown – it’s all hearsay said over and over again),’ he stated.
Romualdez also criticized the source of the allegations, expressing disappointment over Vice President Duterte’s involvement in spreading what he described as ‘lies.’ He questioned the credibility of the Vice President, who he noted is also dealing with her own political issues. ‘When the source itself has lost credibility, why should anyone believe these baseless claims?’ the erstwhile House leader added.