Romualdez Ordered to Appear for Bail Hearing in Graft Court

The Sandiganbayan has ordered former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to appear before the anti-graft court on October 12 for the first day of his bail hearing. This was contained in the Sandiganbayan Third Division’s order issued Friday, September 25, in connection with the P7.4-billion plunder charge filed against Romualdez and three others over their alleged links to the flood control controversy. “Accused Romualdez is required to be present and sign the pre-trial order during the initial bail hearing on October 12, 2026, at 8:30 in the morning,” read the court order, which was issued after the termination of the pre-trial conference or the court process where the evidence for both parties are marked, read. The anti-graft court also said in the same order that Romualdez is expected to file his petition for bail on Monday, September 28, an information that was also told to reporters by Romualdez’s counsel, Ade Fajardo. Romualdez attended the pre-trial conference virtually from his cell in New Quezon City Jail on Friday since he is still being treated for his brain and heart-related ailments. Accordingly, the Sandiganbayan set the bail hearings on the Romualdez case on October 12, 2026, and every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday thereafter, except on legal holidays and on the day the court has an official activity, all at 8:30 in the morning and 1:30 in the afternoon. The prosecution, for its part, is expected to present 23 witnesses during the bail hearings. The anti-graft court ordered the prosecution to submit its list of by Friday, October 2, 2026, alongside the schedule indicating which witnesses will be presented on each hearing date. The presentation of evidence for the P7.4 billion case, on the other hand, is set on November 23, 2026, and every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday thereafter. — RSJ, GMA News Corruption remains a persistent issue in Philippine politics, often surfacing in cases involving public funds and infrastructure projects. The allegations against Romualdez, a prominent political figure, highlight the ongoing scrutiny of public officials' accountability and the legal processes designed to address corruption.