MANILA | The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will ask the Sandiganbayan to transfer former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez from Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City to the Philippine National Police General Hospital at Camp Crame in Quezon City, where authorities say he can continue receiving medical treatment while under police custody.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday that the department would file a motion seeking the transfer, stressing that Romualdez is already considered a person deprived of liberty following the service of an arrest warrant in connection with a ₱7.44-billion plunder case.
“That motion will be filed later or tomorrow para maklaro lang sa inyo na hindi kami pumapayag sa Cardinal Santos. Kaya naman namin sa Crame yan, but it’s up to the discretion of the court kung papayagan siyang ilipat na sa Crame,” Remulla said. The statement means the DILG does not agree with keeping Romualdez at Cardinal Santos and believes Camp Crame can provide the necessary medical care, although the final decision rests with the court.
Remulla added that Romualdez’s private physicians would be allowed to continue treating him if he is transferred.
“Bibigyan lang namin ng visitation and practicing rights ang kanyang mga doktor para pwede sila pumunta sa Camp Crame,” Remulla said.
Romualdez was confined at Cardinal Santos before the arrest warrant was served on Monday night. Remulla said he had experienced a cardiovascular event and an anxiety attack. The DILG chief also disclosed that Romualdez suffered a stroke and a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, in July, although he said the condition did not appear to have left a significant physical deficiency.
Romualdez’s legal team has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to remain at Cardinal Santos until he is medically cleared for transfer. His camp has cited cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and hypothyroidism.
Remulla also described Romualdez as a flight risk, citing his access to private aircraft and other assets. “Dalawa ang kanyang private jet, tatlo ang kanyang helicopter, tatlo ang kanyang yate, so he is a flight risk,” Remulla said.
Two armed police officers are maintaining round-the-clock security outside Romualdez’s hospital room, while his movements remain restricted. Remulla said PNP doctors would continue monitoring his condition while he remains hospitalized.
“As soon as he is fit and able to appear in court, dadalhin na po namin siya,” Remulla said, meaning authorities will bring him to court once he is medically fit to do so.
Romualdez was arrested after the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued a warrant following the filing of plunder charges by the Office of the Ombudsman. He and three others are accused of receiving at least ₱7.44 billion in commissions, kickbacks and other financial benefits allegedly connected to government flood-control, infrastructure and other projects funded between 2022 and 2025. Romualdez has denied wrongdoing.
His lawyer, Ade Fajardo, said Romualdez would face the allegations through the legal process and that criminal liability should ultimately be determined by evidence presented in court.
The case is part of a wider investigation into alleged corruption in the government’s massive flood-control program. Thousands of projects worth hundreds of billions of pesos have come under scrutiny amid allegations that some projects were overpriced, substandard or never constructed.
For now, Romualdez remains at Cardinal Santos Medical Center under police custody. The Sandiganbayan will determine whether he may continue his hospital confinement and whether he should eventually be transferred to the PNP General Hospital at Camp Crame.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
