Martin Romualdez pleads not guilty, attends arraignment via videoconference. AP Photos/Aaron Favila-Pool
MANILA — A second co-accused in former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s plunder case has left the country, the Bureau of Immigration said Thursday.
Private individual Joselyn Serenio departed the Philippines prior to the issuance of a hold departure order, the agency said.
Another co-accused, former lawmaker Zaldy Co, traveled abroad as far back as September 2025.
Jonvic Remulla confident they can bring Zaldy Co back from France
The BI said a third co-accused, Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, remains in the country.
Romualdez, meanwhile, has been detained at a Quezon City jail and pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this week.
“The BI will continue to strictly enforce the HDO and undertake appropriate immigration measures within its mandate,” the agency said.
“The Bureau, however, cannot disclose specific travel details or other personal information concerning the individuals, in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and other applicable laws,” it added.
The case against Romualdez and his three co-accused involved a total of P7.4 billion in alleged bribes, anomalous budget insertions, and project allocations.
Plunder is a non-bailable offense referring to large-scale corruption punishable by life imprisonment.
— With a report from Agence France-Presse