The claim of former bodyguards of resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co that they delivered more than P805 billion in flood control funds to former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez is not believable, according to a human rights and public interest lawyer.

In a radio interview, Antonio Zoleta Bucoy said the ex-soldiers’ narrative fails the test of plausibility or the likelihood that their story is true.

He said P805 billion weighs about 800 metric tons, which would require a cargo truck, a crane or a backhoe to haul it, instead of vans as the former men of Co claim

“Imposible ‘yung sinasabi nila. Unang-unang butas ho dyan, ang sinabi nila nag-deliver sila kay dating SP Romualdez ng P805 billion. Yung P805 billion, ayon sa nakaalam at sa mga eksperto, yan ay equivalent ng 800 metric tons,” he said.

“Paano mo itat-ransport ang 800 metric tons? Kailangan mo diyan crane o kailangan mo diyan backhoe para maikarga mo yan. At hindi pwede sa mga simpleng sasakyan lang. Kinailangan mo diyan cargo truck para maikarga mo yan,” he added.

Bucoy pointed out that another hole in the story of the former Co watchmen, now labeled as “Maleta Boys,” is that they delivered the money at Romualdez’s house on McKinley Road, Forbes, Makati.

He said at the time of the alleged delivery, the house was under construction or renovation because it was earlier razed by a fire.

There were between 100 and 150 workers at the time, and there was no caretaker, he said.

“Tapos sinabi nila, hindi rin kapani-paniwala, nagdeliver sa bahay daw ni Speaker Romualdez sa McKinley Road na sinabi naman eh under construction dahil natupok yan dati. Kaya yung period na sinabi nila na-deliver sila, imposible na may mayordoma yan…dahil there were like 100 or 150 workers na nagtatrabaho dahil nga sa reconstruction ng bahay,” he said.

He noted that the ex-soldiers also claimed to have made a delivery at another house in South Forbes, which Romualdez does not own.

“Pangalawa, nagdeliver daw sa bahay sa South Forbes, eh ayon naman kay Speaker wala siyang bahay dun, so kaninong bahay nila dinilever? Bucoy asked.

He emphasized that another unbelievable part of the former Co bodyguards’ narrative is their supposed delivery to a house in Malacanang.

“And finally, nag-deliver daw sila sa Aguado sa Malacanang. Paano ka mag-dedeliver sa Malakanyang bahay daw yun ni Speaker Romualdez? E nasa Malacanang complex yan? So plausibility, kung posible ba na mangyari yung sinasabi nila,” he
said.

The public interest lawyer also accused the Maleta Boys of engaging in dagdag-bawas.

He noted that they initially included Sen. Loren Legarda and former justice secretary-turned-Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima in their supposed list of recipients of flood control project kickbacks, but that they later delisted them, admitting they erred.

Bucoy said Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon was not in the list but was later included when the lawmaker became part of the House team that would prosecute Vice President Sara Duterte in her Senate impeachment trial.

“So hindi ho consistent…Si Cong. Ridon hindi nila isinasali before pero nung napasama na dun sa grupo ng public prosecutors isinali na rin. So consistency ho,” he said. (END)