MANILA, Philippines — Former House Speaker and incumbent Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez pleaded not guilty Wednesday, September 16, to a plunder charge involving alleged kickbacks worth at least ₱7.4 billion, formally setting the stage for a court battle over one of the highest-profile cases arising from the Philippines’ flood-control controversy.
Romualdez entered his plea before the Sandiganbayan Third Division through videoconference from the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas, where he is being held while the case is pending. The court had approved his request to participate remotely in the arraignment and pre-trial proceedings.
Some reports describe the amount involved as approximately ₱7.44 billion, while the criminal information quoted by GMA News states that prosecutors allege benefits aggregating “at least ₱7.4 billion.”
The plea means Romualdez is contesting the accusation. It is not a finding on whether the prosecution’s allegations are true.
What the Ombudsman Says Happened
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the plunder charge on September 7 against Romualdez and three other accused: former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Romualdez aide Joselyn Tragua Sereño, and Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp. president Felicito Cristobal Guevarra.
According to the criminal information, prosecutors allege that Romualdez and Co received, directly or indirectly, commissions, kickbacks, “commitments” and other financial benefits on at least 15 occasions between 2022 and 2025.
The Ombudsman alleges that the funds came from contractors, individuals and entities with interests in flood-control, infrastructure and other government projects funded through the national budget, with the alleged benefits reaching at least ₱7.4 billion.
Those remain prosecution allegations that must be proven in court beyond reasonable doubt.
Prosecutors have also alleged that portions of the money were connected to the acquisition of properties in Forbes Park and investments involving corporate shares. These accusations are contained in the case filed by the Ombudsman and have not been established by a final court judgment.
Romualdez Has Repeatedly Denied Wrongdoing
Romualdez has maintained his innocence.
After the case was filed, his lawyer Ade Fajardo said the former Speaker would face the allegations through the legal process and was asking only for the due process and fair hearing available to every accused person.
Romualdez had also rejected earlier allegations linking him to kickbacks connected with infrastructure projects. His camp has disputed the credibility of witnesses and argued that some people who previously accused him later recanted their statements.
The Ombudsman, for its part, has said its case is supported by other witnesses and evidence. Whether that evidence proves the charge is now a question for the Sandiganbayan.
Arrest Warrants Came Hours After Case Was Filed
The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued arrest warrants against Romualdez and his co-accused on September 7, the same day the Ombudsman filed the case.
Importantly, the court itself stressed that finding probable cause to issue an arrest warrant does not amount to a determination of guilt and that all of the accused retain the constitutional presumption of innocence until guilt is established beyond reasonable doubt.
Romualdez was served with the warrant while confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
His medical condition subsequently became the subject of court proceedings over where he should be detained.
From Hospital Confinement to Payatas Jail
Romualdez initially sought continued hospital confinement, citing medical conditions.
The Sandiganbayan later ordered an independent assessment at the Philippine General Hospital.
After the examination, PGH doctors told the anti-graft court that Romualdez was clinically stable and no longer required continued confinement in an acute-care hospital, although doctors said he would continue to need medication, blood-pressure monitoring and other medical care.
The Sandiganbayan consequently ordered his transfer to the Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory in Payatas, where he arrived on September 14. He has been staying in the facility’s infirmary for medical monitoring.
That meant Wednesday’s arraignment took place not from a private hospital but from the jail facility through a video link.
Court Rejects Bid to Skip Reading of Charge
Reporting carrying The Manila Times account said the Third Division rejected a request from the defense to waive the formal reading of the criminal information during the arraignment.
After the charge was read, Romualdez entered his “not guilty” plea.
The arraignment is a significant procedural step because the criminal case can now advance toward pre-trial proceedings and, barring intervening motions or rulings, the presentation of evidence.
The prosecution will have to establish its allegations with admissible evidence, while the defense will have the opportunity to challenge that evidence and present its own case.
Bail and Suspension Could Become the Next Legal Battles
Romualdez’s counsel confirmed that the defense intends to seek bail, according to Philippine Star reporting.
The Sandiganbayan also gave Romualdez 10 days to explain why he should not be suspended from office while the plunder case is pending, the same report said.
Those questions could become the next important fronts in the proceedings.
Romualdez remains the elected representative of Leyte’s 1st District, even though he is no longer Speaker of the House.
Three Co-Accused Remain at Large
As of the latest reporting surrounding the arraignment, Romualdez’s three co-accused — Co, Guevarra and Sereño — remained at large.
That means Romualdez’s arraignment moves his portion of the case forward even as authorities continue dealing separately with the status of the other accused.
The Sandiganbayan earlier issued a hold-departure order covering the accused alongside the arrest warrants.
Why the Case Matters
The case places a former House Speaker and sitting lawmaker before the Philippines’ anti-graft court over allegations connected to government infrastructure spending.
Romualdez is also a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., adding significant public and political attention to the proceedings.
Malacañang has said it respects the Ombudsman’s decision to prosecute the case. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration’s position is that anyone who should be held accountable should face the legal process regardless of whether the person is a relative, ally, friend or political opponent.
That statement, however, does not determine Romualdez’s liability.
The Sandiganbayan will ultimately have to decide the case on the evidence placed before it.
For now, the most consequential development is straightforward: the charge has been read, Romualdez has formally denied it, and the ₱7.4-billion plunder case has entered its next judicial phase.
The bigger battles — over bail, possible suspension and eventually the prosecution’s evidence — are still ahead.
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