ORLY Guteza, a former soldier and one-time security aide of ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co, has officially recanted his statement alleging he delivered cash-filled suitcases to former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
In a new affidavit reported exclusively by 24 Oras, Guteza stated that his original accusations were entirely fabricated and that he had been persuaded to make false allegations in exchange for money and scholarship grants for his children. The stunning reversal undermines the foundation of the bribery claims previously leveled against the high-ranking legislator.
Guteza alleged that Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former congressman Mike Defensor were the ones who approached and instructed him to concoct the story. He claimed the meeting took place at a Japanese restaurant near the Senate, where a draft affidavit had already been prepared by Defensor’s son-in-law, identified only as “Mark.”
According to Guteza, Marcoleta personally reviewed the document and corrected the Tagalog phrasing right in front of him, while Defensor explained that the draft needed revision because his son-in-law was not proficient in the language.
The recantation casts serious doubt on the credibility of the original allegations and raises questions about the motivations behind them.
metrosundaily
