Former House Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez has been ordered transferred to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas after doctors at the Philippine General Hospital determined that he was clinically stable and no longer required continued hospital confinement.
Romualdez, who is facing a P7.44-billion non-bailable plunder case linked to alleged kickbacks from government flood-control and infrastructure projects, maintained his innocence and said he was prepared to face the charges in court.
“I respect the decision of the Sandiganbayan,” Romualdez said in a statement, thanking doctors at Cardinal Santos Medical Center and PGH for his treatment.
He added that he would continue following medical advice and would face the allegations against him “with dignity, with faith in God, and with confidence in the truth.”
Court orders transfer after PGH assessment
The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued the transfer order after PGH officials conducted an independent medical assessment of Romualdez.
The court had earlier ordered him moved from Cardinal Santos Medical Center to PGH so government doctors could determine whether his medical condition justified continued hospital detention.
PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi told the court that Romualdez was clinically stable and that there was no imperative medical need for him to remain confined in a hospital.
His risk of an impending heart attack was assessed as low, while his hypertension, diabetes and chronic cerebrovascular condition were considered controlled.
The findings cleared the way for the court to enforce the earlier commitment order placing Romualdez under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
From private hospital to Payatas
Romualdez was arrested on Sept. 7 after the Office of the Ombudsman filed the massive plunder case against him, former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co and two other respondents.
He had been admitted to Cardinal Santos Medical Center shortly before the arrest warrant was served after experiencing cardiovascular symptoms and unstable blood pressure.
His lawyers subsequently sought permission for him to remain under hospital detention.
Prosecutors opposed the request, arguing that his medical needs could be addressed while he was held in government custody.
The Sandiganbayan later ordered his transfer to PGH for an independent assessment rather than allowing him to remain at the private hospital.
Romualdez says he will face the charges
Despite the court’s decision, Romualdez said he would continue to contest the allegations against him through the proper legal process.
His statement stressed that his position had not changed since the case was filed.
He said he would answer the accusations before the courts and expressed confidence that the truth would ultimately prevail.
The plunder case is connected to allegations involving a large-scale scheme to divert public funds through irregularities in government projects, particularly flood-control infrastructure.
The allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings, and Romualdez has denied wrongdoing.
Payatas jail already holds other lawmakers
Romualdez’s transfer makes him the third incumbent national lawmaker detained at the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas.
Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada are also being held at the facility in connection with separate cases.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology has said Romualdez would not receive special treatment because of his former position or political status.
He is expected to undergo the standard procedures for persons deprived of liberty, including medical evaluation and other booking requirements.
A major legal battle begins
The detention marks a dramatic new phase in the case against one of the country’s most influential political figures.
Romualdez stepped down as House Speaker earlier this year amid the widening controversy surrounding alleged corruption in government flood-control projects.
His arrest and detention now place the former congressional leader inside the same criminal justice system that he once helped oversee through his position in the House.
For Romualdez, however, the case is far from over.
He continues to deny the allegations and has pledged to answer them in court, setting the stage for a closely watched legal battle over the alleged P7.44-billion scheme and the former speaker’s role in it.
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