‘Bejo’ Romualdez, 12 others face corruption charges

Former Tacloban City mayor Alfredo "Bejo" Romualdez and 12 other people have been recommended for indictment before the Sandiganbayan by Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo.

Marcelo sustained the Oct. 7 resolution of Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors Jude Romano, Miguel Gudio and Roberto Lao which held the brother of former First Lady Imelda Marcos and nine others liable for violating the Anti Ill-gotten Wealth Law (Republic Act 1379).

The Office of the Ombudsman addressed the recommendation to the Office of the Solicitor General.

He reversed, however, the fiscals’ recommendations to junk the charges against three others — spouses Ignacio and Fe Roa Gimenez and Roberto Olanday Bautista — stating in a resolution that there is enough evidence to pin them down.

In cases where a lawsuit involves either a former or an incumbent government official, DOJ prosecutors are deputized to investigate, but this will still be subject to the approval of the Ombudsman, who has the final say on whether charges will be filed.

After the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) filed a complaint with the DOJ in April this year, preliminary investigations were held and a resolution was issued by the DOJ in October. The resolution was approved by Marcelo on Dec. 9.

Aside from Romualdez, the nine others to be charged were Romualdez’s wife Agnes; former energy minister Geronimo Velasco; his son Geronimo Jr.; Erlinda, Miguel and Urbano Velasco; Ma. Paz Laperal; Alfredo de Borja and Carmencita de Borja Clavecilla.

The PCGG claimed that Romualdez, using his closeness to the Marcoses, allegedly acquired ill-gotten wealth during his tenure from 1970 to 1986, first as an official of the Philippine Navy and later as a member of Marcos’ staff.