Former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez is now under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) after the Sandiganbayan ordered that he be committed to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas.
But despite the court order, Romualdez has not yet been physically transferred from Cardinal Santos Medical Center, where he has remained hospitalized since his arrest on September 7.
The developing situation has created a critical legal and medical standoff: the BJMP has assumed custody, but the court has yet to give the final go-ahead for Romualdez’s actual transfer to the regular detention facility.
Custody changes hands
The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued a commitment order on September 10 directing that Romualdez be placed under BJMP supervision at the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory.
GMA News reported that the order effectively transferred custody from the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) to the BJMP. PNP-CIDG officials said they would comply with the court’s directive.
However, custody and physical detention are currently two different matters.
Reports from SunStar and GMA indicate that the court has not yet ordered Romualdez’s immediate physical transfer from the hospital. He therefore remains at Cardinal Santos Medical Center while the Sandiganbayan considers his plea to continue his hospital confinement.
Why is Romualdez still in the hospital?
Romualdez’s legal team has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to remain at Cardinal Santos until he is medically cleared for transfer.
According to Philstar, his lawyers cited his medical history and argued that continued inpatient treatment is necessary. They proposed safeguards including round-the-clock security, visitor restrictions, medical reports and court oversight.
The prosecution, however, has opposed continued private-hospital detention, arguing that his medical needs could be addressed by government doctors while he is detained.
The issue became a major point of contention during the September 10 proceedings, with the court examining evidence concerning Romualdez’s medical condition and his continued stay at the private hospital.
What happens next?
The Sandiganbayan is expected to continue weighing whether Romualdez should remain hospitalized or eventually be transferred to the regular detention facility designated in the commitment order.
The situation is particularly significant because Romualdez is facing a non-bailable plunder case involving approximately P7.4 billion in alleged kickbacks linked to government flood-control projects. He has denied wrongdoing.
The case stems from a broader investigation into alleged corruption surrounding billions of pesos worth of flood-control projects. The Ombudsman has alleged that funds were diverted through various transactions, while authorities continue investigating other individuals connected to the controversy.
A closely watched detention decision
The BJMP development does not mean Romualdez has already been moved into a regular jail cell.
For now, the BJMP has assumed primary custody while Romualdez remains at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, pending further action by the Sandiganbayan on his hospital-confinement request.
The distinction could become crucial in the coming proceedings: the court has already identified where Romualdez is supposed to be detained, but his medical status could determine when—or whether—the physical transfer takes place.
His arraignment and pre-trial proceedings are also scheduled for September 14, according to reports on the Sandiganbayan’s commitment order.
The next court action could therefore determine whether the former House Speaker finally leaves the private hospital for the BJMP facility—or remains under hospital confinement while his case moves forward.
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