Leyte First District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the opening of the first regular session of the 20th Congress on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA (6th UPDATE) — The Sandiganbayan on Monday issued a warrant of arrest for former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, hours after he was charged with plunder in relation to an alleged flood control kickback scheme.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued the arrest warrant and hold departure order against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, a private individual, and the president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp.
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.
The case came more than a year after Romualdez'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.
“Ito ‘yung aming obligasyon sa bayan na gawin ang tama. Ito lang pinatutupad natin dito. Wala itong sini-sino. Wala itong ginagalang o iniiwasan na pangalanan. Lahat ito ay base sa ebidensya,” Remulla said.
“Itong kasong ‘to talagang nagpapatunay na hindi kami kumikiling kahit kanino. Gusto lang namin dito managot ang dapat managot,” the Ombudsman added.
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.
Malacañang on Monday said it respects the filing of the case.
"Ang sa pangulo naman po ay kung sino po ang dapat na managot ay dapat na panagutin. Kung sinuman po iyan — kamag-anak, kaibigan, kaalyado o kalaban sa politika," Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
She said she has not had the chance to ask the President on his personal feelings at the development.
'BIG FISH'
Romualdez is considered as the "big fish" for now in the flood control scandal, according to Remulla.
"Sa dami ng perang nakulimbat, walang mapaglagyan, ibinili nang ibinili ng iba't ibang mga bahay na hindi naman kailangan pero bumili pa rin ng bahay," Remulla said, referring to Romualdez. "Meron pa ngang dinonate sa Harvard na ilang milyong dolyar."
"Nagpupumutok na. Kumbaga sa bulsa, hindi na kasya sa bulsa, lawit na ang nakikitang pera," he added.
Based on the Ombudsman's investigation, Co's former personnel delivered at least 15 times to Romualdez's personnel in different houses from September 2022 to 2025. During that time, Romualdez was the House speaker while Co was the House appropriations committee chairman.
Romualdez's monthly collection from Co reached P2 billion, the anti-graft body said, adding that almost P5 billion of the kickback money was used to establish dummy companies in which money was transferred and used to buy properties and assets.
The Ombudsman also said the money was exchanged into another currency through a foreign exchange firm.
Remulla said more cases would be filed against Romualdez.
"It's a series of cases. Hindi lang ho ito, marami pa pong kasong ihahain dito... May iba pang plunder cases at marami po rito, money laundering cases," Remulla said.
"Iyan ay kitang-kita po sa aming mga pag-aaral ng mga pangyayari at sa mga nakausap naming testigo at sa mga ayaw tumestigo, pero gagawin naming hostile cases," he added.
The filing comes after Romualdez’s lawyer Ade Fajardo said the Ombudsman no longer had credible witnesses or sufficient basis to pursue the case against the former House speaker.
Romualdez includes Guteza's recantation in supplemental counter-affidavit for Ombudsman
Fajardo cited the retractions of Orly Guteza and several former bodyguards or security aides of Co, who previously alleged that they delivered large amounts of money to Romualdez.
However, the Ombudsman earlier said a recantation does not erase an earlier statement. It said the original and recanted testimonies would be compared and evaluated as part of the evidence in the case.
"Alam naman natin kung anong nangyayari pag recantation, alam yan ng buong mundo, alam 'yan ng korte: pera po ang umiirap pagdating sa recantation. Hindi po ako takot sa recantation, wala kaming kinatatakutan sa recantation kasi normal lang na yun ang naisip nilang paraan para humina ang kaso namin, pero hindi po humihina ang kaso," Remulla added.
Clavano previously said the Ombudsman had 42 witnesses against Romualdez, including 28 new witnesses and 14 former bodyguards of Co.
The Ombudsman named former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan as one of the possible witnesses in the master case to defraud the national treasury against Romualdez.
'Hindi ako pangulo ng aking pamilya': Marcos says multiple charges vs Romualdez to be filed soon
'DUE PROCESS'
Lakas-CMD, the political party of Romualdez, called for impartiality and due process as the Ombudsman filed plunder charges against the former Speaker.
“I think the former Speaker is also given the chance to prove himself innocent and we are calling for due process," Lakas-CMD spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said.
Adiong also expressed confidence that Romualdez would face the allegations “head on,” pointing out that the former House Speaker has remained in the country since the investigation began.
“He will face these allegations head on, he will not evade. In fact his confidence in proving his innocence is evident by the fact that he never left the country,” he added.
Adiong said the party is yet to convene, but they welcome the investigations and called for “justice to do its work.”
“Very consistent po ang call ng Lakas — impartial due process and impartiality in every step on the way and keeping justice do its work.”
Romualdez’s camp has asked the Ombudsman for “fairness” in the investigation as they raised a concern on alleged prejudgment for tagging the House member as a “mastermind” in the case.
"Masyado naman nilang pinepersonal, trabaho lang 'to," Remulla said. "'Pag ikaw ay prosecutor… ang amin po ay one side lang, side lang ng taumbayan."
The Sandiganbayan has previously issued a precautionary hold departure order against Romualdez. —With reports from Allison Co, Harlene Delgado, and Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse
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