Perimeter Security Tightened at Hospital for Detained Ex-House Speaker Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines — Police personnel continue to provide perimeter security outside Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City amid the ongoing confinement of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who is reportedly being treated for various ailments. Romualdez, who was arrested Monday over a P7.4-billion plunder case, is currently under the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) while confined at the medical center. READ: DILG to push for Romualdez’s transfer to PNP hospital Police deployed outside the medical center as of 6 a.m. on Wednesday told the INQUIRER that they are on a shifting schedule to maintain 24/7 security while the former House speaker remains at the hospital. Another unit of PNP personnel was deployed inside the medical center’s lobby. On Tuesday, San Juan police chief Col. Anthony Gantang conducted an inspection of their deployment in and around the hospital. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said they will request the Sandiganbayan to transfer Romualdez to the PNP General Hospital at Camp Crame in Quezon City. Remulla announced this as he said that the former speaker had suffered a stroke and a transient ischemic attack—or the temporary blockage of blood to part of the brain—last July. READ: Romualdez ordered to appear in Sandiganbayan on Sept. 10 On Monday, the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued an arrest warrant against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and two others, hours after the Office of the Ombudsman filed the nonbailable plunder case. The charges stemmed from allegations that they received around P7.4 billion in kickbacks from government projects between 2022 and 2025. The former House speaker was arrested at the medical center hours after the arrest warrant issuance on Monday, while his three co-accused remain at large. /jpv