Romualdez Medically Unfit to Travel, PNP Reports

MANILA, Philippines — Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez is not yet medically fit to travel ahead of his scheduled hearing before the Sandiganbayan, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP). “[The] latest medical certification of Cardinal Santos [last night] is he is not medically fit [to travel],” PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co told the Inquirer in a text message on Thursday morning. Romualdez was ordered to appear before the anti-graft court for a hearing on his motion to remain in hospital confinement after his arrest last Monday for plunder, a non-bailable charge. READ: Romualdez ordered to appear in Sandiganbayan on Sept. 10 “Syempre, they (Cardinal Santos doctors) also have to coordinate with the CIDG [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group], who will be bringing him supposedly to the Sandiganbayan if he will appear,” Co explained in an interview with GMA’s “Unang Balita” earlier on Thursday. (Of course, they also have to coordinate with the CIDG, who will be bringing him supposedly to the Sandiganbayan if he will appear.) “All others sa health status niya, sila lang ang may karapatan magsalita. Ang only confirmation sa amin, cine-certify nila that he is medically unfit to travel,” he added. (All others regarding his health status, only the doctors have the right to say. The confirmation we have is that they’ve certified that he is medically unfit to travel.) The ex-Congress leader was arrested and booked by the police while on a hospital bed after a purported “cardiovascular event,” unstable blood pressure and an anxiety attack. Romualdez is accused of “repeatedly receiving… commissions, shares, percentages, kickbacks, commitments and/or other pecuniary benefits” worth P7.44 billion through various government projects from 2022 to 2025. He has since repeatedly denied the allegations against him. /jpv