Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla expressed disappointment in former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s continued confinement, pointing out that there are persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) whose conditions are far worse but are detained in regular cells.
“If you look at the people who are confined, or who are already in jail in Bilibid, or in the BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology), most of them are worse off than him, and it’s sad that they want different rules to apply to him,” Remulla said during a Friday press conference.
He disclosed that eliminating possible avenues for preferential treatment was the motive for the removal of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, which used to house high-profile detainees.
“Huwag sana gano’n kasi we stand by the rule of law in this country, and we don’t want people to have special treatment. That’s the reason why there’s no more special jail in Crame. We made sure that it was already taken down,” he said.
The official said that he will be talking to Romualdez’s physicians at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), where he has been transferred from Cardinal Santos Medical Center, regarding the Leyte representative’s health condition.
Romualdez, he said, should be facing his warrant of arrest “with more dignity.”
“We will be asking the doctors—well, he’s there already in PGH—about his fitness to return to the BJMP. Kasi hindi nila dapat ginagawang rule, dapat exception iyan in extreme cases. Kaya it’s very sad. The former speaker is resorting to this. I know him very well, but he should take it with more dignity,” he told reporters.
“Wala naman may gusto na mangyari ‘to, e. I’m not happy about it, but it’s the law. We have to apply the law—and that is essentially why there’s a warrant of arrest against him,” he added.
While Remulla made it clear that he was not happy about Romualdez being under the BJMP’s custody while confined, he said the lawmaker’s continued hospitalization was a bad look, and may give the impression that affluent suspects are allowed privileges the poor or ordinary citizens are not.
“I’m not rejoicing about the fact that he’s already under the hospices of the BJMP. But I’m not either happy that he wants to stay in the hospital. Siyempre, ayaw natin ‘yun, hindi magandang pangitain? Sa taumbayan na sasabihin na naman, ‘Porke may kaya, ito na naman, nasa ospital. ‘Yung mahirap, nakakulong,’” he said.
“‘Yun talaga ‘yung gusto talaga natin mangyari, na pare-pareho lang ang hustisya sa mayaman at sa mahirap. Pagka ganyan, ito na naman tayo, sasabihin, iba na naman ang treatment dito,” he elaborated.
To Romualdez, Remulla said, “Face the music, face the charges, like a real man should.”
Romualdez was arrested at his hospital bed Cardinal Santos, a private medical facility, on Monday evening. Although the Sandiganbayan ordered that he be transferred to a Quezon City Jail, the transfer remains on hold due to his pending motion for hospital arrest.
