HOURS AFTER issuing a commitment order for the detention of former House Speaker Rep. Martin Romualdez to the New Quezon City Jail, the Sandiganbayan recalled its directive.
In its later order, Sandiganbayan Third Division Clerk of Court Atty Denni Pulma said that the Leyte congressman will remain confined in the Cardinal Santos Medical Center until further orders from the anti-graft court
According to Pulma, the anti-graft court decided to allow Romualdez to stay at the posh hospital facility until after the deliberations on the motion seeking hospital confinement of the accused in Cardinal Santos due to heart and brain-related illnesses.
“The confinement of former Speaker [Romualdez] in Cardinal Santos will remain until further orders from the court,” Pulma told reporters.
“Doon muna siya,” he added.
Romualdez is facing plunder charges for allegedly receiving kickbacks from former House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co 15 times from 2022 to 2025. Their other co-accused in the case were Jocelyn Sereño, who is working for Romualdez, and Felecito Guevarra, a money changer.
Officially a Detainee
He, however clarified that Romualdez is officially a detainee under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), citing a previous commitment order, effectively relieving the Philippine National Police (PNP) from its responsibility to secure the former Speaker.
Pulma, however, said the police could still be of help to BJMP when it comes to safeguarding Romualdez.
“The police still have a role because the BJMP may seek assistance from the PNP-CIDG (Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) regarding security concerns or security matters. But the primary custodian [of the former Speaker] are BJMP personnel,” he said.
Hospital Detention
The anti-graft court will tackle Romualdez’s motion seeking hospital detention on September 11. Ombudsman prosecutors opposed Romualdez’s bid for hospital detention, saying his ailments can be treated by government doctors while in detention in a regular jail.
Cardinal Santos doctors Kurt Sibayan and Rosilio Torres earlier told the anti-graft court that Romualdez’s case was not an emergency, although he remains at high risk for a possible heart attack.
Romualdez is facing a P7.4 billion plunder charge over alleged involvement in the so-called flood control scandal. (With reports from Rose dela Cruz)