Sandiganbayan: Romualdez yet to request bail

Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has not yet filed a petition for bail in connection with his pending plunder charge involving an alleged P7.4-billion kickback scheme, court officials confirmed Thursday.

Sandiganbayan Third Division Clerk of Court Dennis Pulma confirmed the absence of a bail filing in a message to reporters.

Romualdez is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory.

Prosecutors alleged he amassed ill-gotten wealth from public infrastructure funds allocated to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), acting in collusion with former Congressman Zaldy Co and various DPWH officials.

Although plunder is a capital offense and generally non-bailable under Philippine law, an accused individual retains the right to petition the anti-graft court for provisional liberty if they maintain that the prosecution’s evidence of guilt is not strong.

Filing such a petition triggers a series of bail hearings in which the prosecution must present sufficient evidence to justify continued detention without bail.

The case against Romualdez is scheduled for a pre-trial conference today. The court has granted the former lawmaker permission to participate in the proceedings via videoconference from his detention facility.