Orly Regala Guteza, former security consultant of Rep. Zaldy Co,
LAWYER Petchie Rose Espera has publicly disavowed any involvement in the creation or notarization of the sworn statement attributed to Orly Regala Guteza, the former security consultant of Rep. Zaldy Co, who testified at a Senate hearing regarding alleged flood control corruption.
Espera, in a statement released to the media, asserted that her signature and notarial details on the document circulating on social media are “falsified and unauthorized.”
She has requested the removal of the document, stating that “The use of my name and notarial commission in connection with said document is spurious, fraudulent, and injurious to my reputation as a member of the Bar and as a commissioned Notary Public.”
This denial casts a shadow of doubt over the authenticity and legal standing of Guteza’s affidavit, which formed a key part of his testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Sept. 25.
In his testimony, Guteza alleged that he delivered suitcases filled with cash, described as “basura” (garbage), to both Rep. Zaldy Co and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez as kickbacks from flood control projects.
Guteza claimed to have witnessed deliveries to Romualdez’s residence as frequently as three times a week since December 2024.
He also implicated Rep. Eric Yap, who has vehemently denied any involvement.
Romualdez himself has strongly refuted Guteza’s allegations, calling them an “outright and complete fabrication” and a “desperate attempt” to link him to nonexistent kickbacks.
He pointed out that his Forbes Park residence was under renovation and unoccupied during the alleged delivery period, making the claims “impossible.”
The controversy surrounding the affidavit adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in flood control projects, which has already led to Romualdez’s resignation as Speaker and prompted the formation of an Independent Commission on Infrastructure.
The Senate and House investigations have uncovered billions of pesos potentially lost to corruption in these projects over the past decade.
