Romualdez allowed to attend arraignment via videoconference

The Sandiganbayan Third Division has allowed former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to attend his arraignment and pre-trial via videoconference on Wednesday. According to Third Division clerk of court Atty. Dennis Pulma, the tribunal granted Romualdez's urgent motion "to allow attendance for arraignment and pre-trial via videoconference." Romualdez's arraignment has been set at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16. The Leyte congressman is facing plunder charges in connection with P7.2 billion in alleged kickbacks from allocations for infrastructure projects. His co-accused, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp. president Felicito Guevarra, and Romualdez's personal assistant Joselyn Sereño, all remain at large. Romualdez was committed to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas on Monday. He was taken to the facility in the evening and was placed in the jail infirmary together with inmates who also need medical monitoring. The former Speaker was placed under arrest at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center before he was transferred to the Philippine General Hospital. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Romualdez had suffered a cardiovascular event and an anxiety attack. Romualdez was placed under hospital detention until Monday, when doctors told the Sandiganbayan that he was in stable condition despite his illnesses and didn't need hospital confinement. –NB, GMA News