Sandiganbayan orders Romualdez transfer to QC Jail

The Sandiganbayan Third Division officially ordered the transfer of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to the New Quezon City Jail - Male Dormitory where he will be detained while the hearings on his plunder charge are conducted.

The development came after the court heard the findings of the independent medical examination that was carried out at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in lieu of the findings at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan.

During a hearing on Monday, Dr. Gerardo Legaspi said that Romualdez was “clinically stable” but needed monitoring and continued medication for some medical conditions he was still facing.

Given their team’s findings, Legaspi said that Romualdez could be discharged at “any time” in line with the court’s directive.

“Each of our experts found that Romualdez had some medical problems that needed treatment but this treatment no longer needed to be done at a hospital,” the doctor said in an interview after the proceeding.

Legaspi further clarified that the lawmaker from Leyte was not an impending risk of a heart attack, amid previous concerns raised by his camp given his history when it came to cardiovascular health.

Also present during the proceedings were officials from the New Quezon City Jail - Male Dormitory who confirmed that they would be able to tend to the medical needs of the lawmaker while detained at their facility.

‘I will face the charges’

With the order officially being issued by the court, Romualdez said that he respected the decision that the justices arrived at when it came to his pleadings.

The former House leader expressed that he was prepared to face the allegations being raised against him before the court while thanking his doctors for the treatment he received in the past week.

“I have always said that I will face the charges against me and answer them before the proper court. That has not changed. I maintain my innocence,” he said.

Romualdez, however, maintained that the development was a “difficult moment for me and my family” but remained hopeful that the truth would ultimately clear his name.

“I will face the days ahead with dignity, with faith in God, and with confidence in the truth,” he stated.

In the case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last Monday, 7 September, Romualdez along with former congressman Zaldy Co and two private individuals were charged with plunder in relation to alleged infrastructure kickbacks from 2022 to 2025.

Through the alleged conspiracy, the four individuals were said to have accumulated P7.4 billion in ill-gotten wealth through kickbacks, “commitments,” and other anomalous schemes from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Among the testimonies that state prosecutors used in the case were from the self-proclaimed bagmen of Co, five of whom have since recanted their statements about delivering cash-filled luggages to numerous government officials.