The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Thursday issued a commitment order directing the detention of former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez at the Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory in Payatas.
The order directs the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to commit Romualdez as a "detention prisoner" as he faces a plunder charge over an alleged ₱7.4-billion government flood control kickback scheme, in a report by Val Gonzales on DZRH.
The anti-graft court also set Romualdez’s arraignment and pre-trial for September 14 at 8:30 a.m.
The order came after the court heard Romualdez’s motion seeking continued confinement at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, where he has been receiving treatment for medical conditions involving his heart and brain.
Romualdez has been staying at the hospital since his arrest on September 7.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said Romualdez was “medically unfit to travel” and could not attend the court proceedings in person.
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said the police would respect the Sandiganbayan’s commitment order and provide security for Romualdez’s transfer once the court issues the necessary transfer order, according to a report of RH Edniel Parrosa on DZRH's Operation Tulong.
“Susundin lang po natin kung ano ang magiging kautusan at magiging desisyon ng Sandiganbayan. If ever ipa-commit po, syempre under our custody, ihahatid po natin kung saan po ipapadala ng Sandiganbayan,” Co said.
Meanwhile, PNP Health Service spokesperson Police Captain Dan Agustin said Romualdez would need a certification declaring him fit to travel before he could be transferred from the hospital.
Agustin said Cardinal Santos Medical Center had issued a certification stating that Romualdez was unfit to travel outside the hospital premises.
“Kailangan po may certification fit for travel, physical fit siya para po mag-move from one place to another,” Agustin said.
The Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the plunder case, opposed Romualdez’s request for continued hospital detention and asked the Sandiganbayan to allow independent doctors to examine his health condition.
Romualdez, resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co and two other accused are facing a ₱7.4-billion plunder case filed by the Ombudsman in connection with an alleged kickback scheme involving government flood control projects.
