Romualdez Co-accused Serenio Out of Philippines, BI Confirms

MANILA, Philippines — The personal assistant of former House speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, who was charged with him in a P7.4-billion plunder case, has left the country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed yesterday. In a statement, BI spokesperson Anisha Hassan said that Joselyn Serenio – a co-accused in the plunder case involving Romualdez and former Ako Bicol party-list congressman Zaldy Co – left the country before a hold-departure order (HDO) dated Sept. 7 was issued. The Sandiganbayan issued the HDO against Romualdez, Co, Serenio and Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, who is said to be the president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp. The four are accused of involvement in kickbacks amounting to P7.4 billion that Romualdez allegedly received from government infrastructure and flood control projects. “Based on the latest available immigration records, Romualdez and Guevarra remain in the Philippines, while Co and Serenio are currently outside the country. The two individuals had already departed the Philippines prior to the issuance of the HDO,” Hassan said. The BI yesterday confirmed that it had received a copy and implemented the HDO against Romualdez and the three other accused. Hassan gave assurance that the BI will continue to strictly enforce the HDO and undertake appropriate immigration measures within its mandate. However, the bureau cannot disclose specific travel details or other personal information concerning the individuals, in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and other applicable laws. The Philippine National Police (PNP) is collaborating with its partners abroad to arrest Serenio. “It’s already within international cooperation with other countries regarding fugitives from the law,” PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said in a news briefing at Camp Crame. Co meantime said that manhunt operations for co-accused Guevarra are ongoing. “Just like everybody who has an issued warrant of arrest against them, we are looking for them,” he said. — Emmanuel Tupas