An arrest warrant is served against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, September 7, 2026, at his hospital room at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, after he was charged with plunder in connection with an alleged flood control kickback scheme. ABS-CBN News
MANILA (3rd UPDATE) — Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez is now considered a person deprived of liberty (PDL), Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced on Monday evening.
This, after a warrant for his arrest was served while Romualdez was confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
"After we read him his rights, he is now considered a person deprived of liberty," said Remulla, who said that Romualdez received the warrant in front of his lawyers and doctors, as well as his child.
"According to the doctors, he is suffering from a cardiovascular event," he added. "Unstable ang kanyang blood pressure and [he is] having an anxiety attack."
There are currently armed guards outside of Romualdez's hospital room, as well as police outside the hospital.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division earlier issued an arrest warrant against Romualdez, hours after he was charged with plunder in relation to an alleged flood control kickback scheme.
Arrest warrants were also issued against former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, a private individual, and the president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp. A hold departure order was also issued.
READ: Court orders Romualdez arrest over plunder case
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier in the day said the case 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.
Motion for continued hospital confinement
Romualdez's camp filed before the Sandiganbayan on Monday a manifestation of hospital confinement and urgent motion ad cautelam for continued hospital confinement under custody.
The former House Speaker’s motion asked the court to authorize the service of any warrant against him at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, and direct that upon service, he remains under continuous lawful custody at the hospital “for so long as inpatient confinement remains medically necessary, as certified by his attention physician, until he is medically cleared for transfer, and subject to further order of the Court”.
“Romualdez has a documented cardiac history and has remained under continuing medical care for that condition… He is currently confined due to the following: Hypertensive Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Unstable Angina, Coronary Artery Disease, S/P PCI (post percutaneous coronary intervention), Cerebrovascular Ischemic Disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, and Primary Hypothyroidism,” the motion stated.
“Accused previously underwent Angioplasty Surgery on 05 October 2024 due to Coronary Artery Disease, and has since required continuing cardiac monitoring and treatment,” it added.
The urgent motion his camp filed cited a medical certificate “which states the treatment, monitoring, tests, and procedures 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 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,” the document stated.
The motion clarified that Romualdez “seeks no exemption from arrest, custody, booking, security restrictions, court appearances, or eventual transfer to the detention facility designated by the court”. It stressed that the requested accommodation “rests exclusively on documented medical necessity”, “may be independently verified by a court-designated or government physician”, and “remains subject to continuous custody and judicial supervision”.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division clerk of court said they had received a manifestation for hospital confinement from Romualdez.
However, Remulla said the DILG will "check every day" to determine when Romualdez can be well enough to be presented to court.
"We assure you, he cannot hide behind his wealth," he said. "Kahit gaano kayaman siya, hindi niya kayang bayaran ang batas para payagan [na] dito sa magandang lugar matutulog. Dadalhin namin siya sa Payatas sa tamang panahon, kung sabihin ng doktor na kaya na."
"Hindi ito permanent situation," Remulla stressed. "Ang kuwarto niya sa Payatas ay naghihintay na… Patas ang laban dito."
Doctors of the Philippine National Police are now conferring with Romualdez's doctors regarding his status, according to Remulla.
The plunder case against Romualdez comes more than a year after the former speaker's cousin, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., put the so-called "ghost" infrastructure projects, believed to have cost Filipino taxpayers billions of dollars, center stage in his State of the Nation Address.
The plunder case was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan Third Division, chaired by Associate Justice Karl Miranda. The court's Third Division also handles the plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and the malversation case against former Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.
Romualdez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He "will face the allegations against him in accordance with law," his lawyer Ade Fajardo said.
"We recognize the public interest surrounding this case. But ultimately, criminal liability must be determined by the evidence presented in court, under the rules and safeguards of our justice system," Fajardo said in a statement.
"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," he added.
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