Former House Speaker Romualdez to be confined at PGH indefinitely before detention

MANILA, Philippines — Starting Saturday, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will be confined at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) indefinitely. This was the order of the Sandiganbayan Third Division announced on Friday by its chair, Associate Justice Karl Miranda. Romualdez, who has been confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center since Monday, will be discharged for his medical examination at PGH. “The court deems it proper to direct an independent examination of accused Romualdez at PGH to verify the medical examination conducted by accused Romualdez’s doctors in Cardinal,” Miranda said in the order he read during open court. This, Miranda said, is made to determine if it is still necessary to confine Romualdez at a medical facility. “Upon discharge tomorrow, the physical location of Romualdez will be at the UP-PGH until further orders [from the court],” Dennis Pulma, Third Division clerk of court, clarified to reporters after the hearing. Romualdez was admitted to the said private hospital on Monday due to chest pain, the same day when his arrest warrant for plunder came out. 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 information containing the formal charges against the accused for bribery involving alleged kickbacks worth P7.44 billion. /mr