Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez petitioned the Sandiganbayan on Monday, September 7, requesting permission to remain under hospital arrest at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan due to multiple medical ailments.
The legal request arrived after the anti-graft court’s Third Division issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, and two associates.
The decision followed the court’s finding of probable cause in a plunder case brought by the Office of the Ombudsman, which alleges a ₱7.4-billion kickback scheme connected to flood-control and public works initiatives.
According to his 12-page filing, Romualdez was admitted to the San Juan medical facility on September 7, suffering from a range of severe conditions, including hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, unstable angina, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular ischemic disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and primary hypothyroidism.
The document detailed his cardiac care history, noting he underwent an angioplasty procedure on October 5, 2024, alongside a previous hospital stay on July 19.
“Accused FERDINAND MARTIN GOMEZ ROMUALDEZ (‘Romualdez’) respectfully manifests that he is currently under hospital confinement at Cardinal Santos Medical Center (‘Cardinal Santos’) and moves that, should a warrant of arrest be issued, the warrant be served upon him at Cardinal Santos and that he thereafter remain under continuous lawful custody at the hospital,” the motion stated.
An attached medical certificate emphasized that detention facilities lack the necessary infrastructure to manage his ongoing treatment, testing, and monitoring requirements safely.
“It further states the treatment, monitoring, tests, and procedures presently required; the medical necessity of continued inpatient care; and the specific risks attendant to any interruption or transfer, as determined by the attending physician,” the motion read.
“The certificate explains why the required care cannot, at this time, be safely delivered at a detention facility hospital, much less a detention facility, and identifies the clinical milestones or conditions upon which accused may be medically cleared for transfer,” it added.
The plunder charges also name Romualdez’s staff member Jocelyn Sereño and money changer Felicito Guevarra.