The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Wednesday, September 16, rejected former House Speaker and incumbent Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez’s request to be moved from the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas to a tertiary government hospital in Quezon City.
Associate Justice Karl Miranda, chairperson of the Third Division, based the ruling on a September 13 letter from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and the testimony of hospital director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi.
Miranda said the medical findings indicated that Romualdez no longer needed to remain in an acute care hospital, removing the immediate need for his transfer to another tertiary facility.
“So, the letter dated September 13 of the PGH, as well as the testimony of Dr. Legaspi, provides that accused Romualdez no longer requires a continued stay in an acute care hospital. Hence, there is no imperative necessity, as of now, to require the transfer of the accused to a tertiary hospital,” Miranda said.
Romualdez’s legal team had identified the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) as a possible destination for the requested transfer.
The court also noted that Romualdez would continue to have access to medical care while detained. A Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) official previously testified that the New Quezon City Jail maintains an infirmary for monitoring detainees and that an ambulance could bring Romualdez to a tertiary hospital within 15 to 30 minutes in case of an emergency.
Miranda emphasized that remaining at the jail would not prevent Romualdez from receiving appropriate medical treatment.
“The court recognizes that the accused is entitled to proper medical attention and that the state has the duty to safeguard the health of all persons. Tandaan niyo yan ha, hindi lang yung sinasabi nating high-profile inmates, but all inmates, yung pinakamahirap, pinakamayaman, all entitled to the same medical care and attention,” he said.
The Sandiganbayan justice also noted that other persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are dealing with more serious medical conditions.
“I can tell you now that there are many more, maraming, maraming PDLs that have worse medical conditions compared to Congressman Romualdez,” he said.
Miranda further explained that a detention facility is not expected to provide the same range of medical facilities available in a hospital, as long as basic and emergency medical needs can be addressed.
“Kasi hindi naman hospital yun, it is a detention facility na kailangan lang diyan yung mga basic, especially for emergency cases,” Miranda said.
The court also considered the legal principle that detention should not continue when it poses a serious threat to an accused person’s health. In Romualdez’s case, however, the Sandiganbayan found no circumstances showing that his continued detention would endanger his health.
The Sandiganbayan had earlier ordered Romualdez’s transfer to the New Quezon City Jail after UP-PGH determined that he was clinically stable.
Romualdez is facing allegations that he received ₱7.44 billion in kickbacks from government projects implemented between 2022 and 2025.