DILG Seeks Romualdez Custody, Transfer to PNP Hospital

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will ask the Sandiganbayan to place former Speaker and incumbent Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez under formal custody and transfer him to the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital in Camp Crame following his arrest in a P7.4-billion plunder case involving flood control projects. “We will file a motion for custody of former Speaker Martin Romualdez for his transfer to the Camp Crame Hospital,” Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla told a press briefing on Tuesday in Filipino. The request would place Mr. Romualdez under formal custody while allowing his doctors to continue visiting and treating him at the PNP hospital, Mr. Remulla said. The DILG will file the motion later on Tuesday or Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan Third Division set a hearing on Friday on Mr. Romualdez’s request to remain under hospital custody and ordered his doctors to testify on his medical condition and submit pertinent medical examination results. Mr. Romualdez had asked the court in an urgent motion on Monday, before his arrest, to have the warrant served at Cardinal Santos Medical Center and to keep him under continuous custody there until medically cleared for transfer. He cited his cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease and a previous angioplasty, and proposed round-the-clock security and court supervision. Mr. Remulla and Philippine National Police chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez served the warrant at the hospital on Monday night, where Mr. Romualdez was confined. Mr. Remulla said Mr. Romualdez “is now considered a person deprived of liberty” and is being guarded by armed police. The Office of the Ombudsman charged Mr. Romualdez, fugitive former lawmaker Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co, and private individuals Joselyn T. Serenio and Felicito C. Guevarra with plunder after finding prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction. The Ombudsman alleged that the group pocketed about P7.4 billion from commissions, commitments, quotas, bribes and other payments linked to government projects from 2022 to 2025. It said Mr. Romualdez exercised “institutional influence” in the House as Speaker, including through his role in congressional committees, Mr. Co’s selection as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and his influence over the legislative and budget process. The Ombudsman also alleged that Mr. Romualdez received cash deliveries at least 15 times from people working for Mr. Co between September 2022 and 2025 as part of an alleged P2-billion monthly quota imposed on Mr. Co. It said nearly P5 billion of the proceeds was used to establish shell or dummy companies and acquire properties and other assets. The Sandiganbayan Third Division also ordered the arrest of Mr. Co, Ms. Serenio and Mr. Guevarra and issued hold-departure orders against all four. Mr. Co remains a fugitive, according to the Ombudsman. The warrants were issued hours after the Ombudsman filed the charges. The Sandiganbayan said it found probable cause after reviewing the Ombudsman’s resolution, supporting documents and records. The warrants state that no bail is recommended. — Mark Joseph M. Sanchez