Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is not being considered as a government witness in the flood control anomalies, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Friday.

“The Department of Justice formally denies reports that former Speaker of the House of Representatives Martin Romualdez is currently being considered as a state witness. There is no factual or legal basis to this misinformation,” new DOJ spokesperson Raphael Martinez said in a statement.

To be considered as a state witness, he said an application must be filed first with the DOJ through the Witness Protection, Security and Benefits Program (WPSB).

The application will then be evaluated to ascertain whether or not the applicant qualifies as state witness.

“As of date, former Speaker Martin Romualdez has not filed an application for state witness with the DOJ,” Martinez said.

Meanwhile, Martinez assured the public that all investigations will be done “swiftly and fairly,” and “no one will be spared” if the evidence so warrants.

The agency also cautioned the public not to be misled by false, misleading facts or political propaganda that twists or misuse legal terms to confuse the public.

“We remind the public to rely on verified and official information coming from the DOJ exclusively. The Department of Justice remain firm and steadfast in our commitment to uphold the rule of law, guided by facts — not politics,” the DOJ spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday continued with its inter-agency coordination meeting with representatives from the Department of Health and Department of Education.

Officials also met with Acting Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy Michael Kelleher. (PNA)