Retired military and police officers, alongside concerned citizens, are calling for the resignation of House Speaker Martin Romualdez over allegations of fiscal mismanagement and corruption under his leadership.
In an open letter circulated on November 1, former National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) chief Maj. Gen. Alex Paul Monteagudo, along with AFP and PNP retirees and taxpayers, accused Romualdez of pushing unsustainable national budgets, misusing public funds, and failing to curb corruption in Congress.
The group cited the alarming ₱15.589 trillion national debt as of August 2024, alongside Romualdez’s backing of a ₱6.352 trillion budget for 2025, which exceeds the projected national revenue of ₱4.64 trillion, resulting in a ₱1.712 trillion deficit. They also accused him of diverting ₱26.7 billion from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) AKAP fund into a “fake” People’s Initiative for constitutional amendments.
Romualdez was further criticized for failing to address the perception of Congress as the “biggest criminal syndicate” and for alleged misuse of taxpayer money, including reports of luxury purchases and a Harvard donation.
The signatories demanded Romualdez step down as Speaker and Congressman of Leyte’s 1st District, citing his disregard for public trust and financial accountability.