“Hindi ko gusto yung word na nilaglag, so kung may mga kritiko na nagsasabi nilaglag, hindi namin nais gamitin ang word na nilaglag dahil ito naman po, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, mayroon silang nakitang ebidensya. So walang dapat nilalaglag dito,” Castro said.
She said that the President remains neutral in the case and that no fabricated evidence should be used to hold anyone accountable.
“Kung ano lang ang ebidensya na nandyan, doon lang tayo bumase, dahil ang Pangulo sa mga bagay na ganyan ay neutral, proseso, batas at walang dapat na gawa-gawang ebidensya," she noted.
Marcos' personal feelings won’t affect Romualdez case
Castro also said the President’s personal feelings toward Romualdez, his cousin, would have no bearing on the plunder case.
“Ang pakiramdam po ng Pangulo, personal, ay hindi naman po siguro ito dapat nang alamin natin. Ang kailangan lang po dito ay dapat mapanagot, ang dapat mapanagot,” she said, adding that the courts should determine Romualdez’s liability based on the evidence presented before them.
“Hindi na po siguro makaapekto kung ano man ang damdamin ng Pangulo…Ang importante po dito ay gumagana po ang ating hustisya. Kung kailangan na siya ay masingil kung mayroon mang dahilan at ito ay makikita sa Korte hayaan na po natin ang Korte na siyang humusga sa kasong ito,” she noted.
Marcos earlier described the cases filed against the former House speaker as “painful but necessary.”
Romualdez was arrested Monday at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City over a P7.4-billion plunder case involving alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
'He won't escape'
Meanwhile, Castro said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) could not simply force Romualdez to leave the hospital if his doctors determine that he still needs medical care.
She said authorities would give Romualdez’s doctors the benefit of the doubt regarding his continued hospital confinement.
“Nandiyan ‘yan sa pagtingin ng kanilang mga doktor. Ang doktor naman, dapat nagsasabi ng katotohanan. We will just give them the benefit of the doubt,” Castro said.
“Kung nasa ospital man po ‘yan hindi naman po siguro ‘yan makakatakas,” she noted.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division is set to hear Romualdez’s motion seeking hospital confinement.
