Former House of Representatives Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was served his arrest warrant for plunder on Monday while confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Romualdez was admitted to the hospital after the Office of the Ombudsman filed a PHP7.4-billion plunder case against him and co-respondents ousted Ako Bicol Party-list congressman Zaldy Co, personal aide Joselyn Serenio, and Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp. president Felicito Guevarra.
Romualdez was confined for an alleged cardiovascular ailment, unstable blood pressure and anxiety attack.
Remulla was accompanied by Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II when the warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan was served.
In a statement, the Ombudsman said that after months of investigation, it found “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction” to file plunder charges against Romualdez, the fugitive Co and their co-accused.
“Para ito sa pagkamal ng humigit kumulang PHP7.4 billion mula sa mga komisyon, commitment, quota, suhol at iba pa, galing sa mga napangakuan ng mga proyekto ng pamahalaan mula 2022 hanggang 2025 (This is for the accumulation of approximately PHP7.4 billion from commissions, commitments, quotas, bribes and others, from those promised government projects from 2022 to 2025),” the Office of the Ombudsman statement read.
The Ombudsman said Romualdez had “uninterrupted control and meaningful participation over the national budget,” while Co allegedly had influence over the inclusion, funding and prioritization of projects.
The Ombudsman said evidence included testimony from former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and Bulacan District engineer Henry Alcantara, Co’s security aides, and other witnesses.
The Office of the Ombudsman also cited documents, property titles, bank deposits and shares of stock in various corporations.
“Nagkamal siya ng ill-gotten wealth o nakaw na yaman sa pamamagitan ng serye o kombinasyon ng mga ilegal o kriminal na gawain. Naipakita ito sa pamamagitan ng kanilang isinagawang sistema ng percentage-based commitments o quota sa mga infrastructure projects, koleksyon ng balato, paulit-ulit na cash deliveries at pakikipagsabwatan ng bang mga tao (He accumulated ill-gotten wealth or stolen riches through a series or combination of illegal or criminal activities. This was demonstrated through their implemented system of percentage-based commitments or quotas in infrastructure projects, collection of kickbacks, repeated cash deliveries, and collusion with certain individuals),” the Ombudsman said.
Remulla said Romualdez would be transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology once doctors determine that his condition is stable enough.
He stressed that the hospital confinement is only temporary and he will not receive special treatment, even if he is the first cousin of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“We assure you he cannot hide behind his wealth,” Remulla said.
Romualdez’s lawyer, Ade Fajardo, said in a statement that the congressman would face the allegations in court.
“We respect the courts and the legal process. Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez will face the allegations against him in accordance with law,” he said.
Fajardo said that criminal liability should be determined by evidence presented in court, under the rules and safeguards of the country’s justice system.
“Representative Romualdez asks for no special treatment. He asks only for the same due process and fair hearing guaranteed to every Filipino. Katotohanan, ebidensya at patas na proseso ang dapat manaig (Truth, evidence, and due process should prevail),” he added.
Arrest Proves PBBM’s Resolve Vs. Flood Control Mess
In a separate statement, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Romualdez’s arrest demonstrated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s resolve to pursue accountability in the flood control scandal even if it involves his own cousin.
“With the arrest of his cousin, former speaker Romualdez, the President’s critics who have accused him of weak leadership and a lack of resolve in confronting the flood-control mess should now be silenced by his action,” he said.
With the case now before the anti-graft court, Lacson said the allegations should be settled through the judicial process.
“Let the trial proceed and let the evidence speak. Most importantly, the former Speaker is now given his day in court,” he said.
Lacson also expressed support for the Ombudsman following the filing of the case.
“The Ombudsman likewise deserves all the praise and support from the Filipino people,” he said. (With a report from Wilnard Bacelonia/PNA)