𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗖𝗞-𝗢𝗨𝗧: “𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘇𝗮?” — 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗛𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼’𝘀 𝗘𝘅-𝗔𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗛 𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀

The missing witness in the flood-control saga may not be missing at all—just unpinned. Former congressman Mike Defensor said Thursday he received information that Orly Guteza—the former security aide of resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co—is still in the Philippines, though Defensor admitted he doesn’t know Guteza’s exact location and has had no direct communication with him.

Defensor’s claim comes as authorities and lawmakers keep circling the same operational problem: you can’t serve a subpoena to a rumor. Defensor said he was told Guteza is “in good condition,” but offered no details beyond that. Asked whether Guteza might resurface—especially after the recent public reappearance of the 18 alleged former Marines—Defensor’s answer was essentially a shrug dressed as hope: “If he’ll show up, he’ll show up.”

Guteza matters because his testimony is not background noise—it’s an accusation with names and alleged delivery routes. He surfaced earlier as a surprise figure in the Senate’s flood-control probe, presented to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who also said Defensor was the one who introduced them. In an affidavit, Guteza implicated former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, claiming he delivered multiple suitcases of “trash”—their alleged code for cash—to the homes of both Co and Romualdez.

That allegation is exactly why the “where is he” question has turned from gossip to logistics. If Guteza is indeed in-country, as Defensor suggests, then the next fight is not about whether he exists—it’s about whether law enforcement can locate him, secure him, and protect the integrity of his account in a case where witnesses have a habit of vanishing just as paperwork starts moving.

Image from INQUIRER.net