President Ferdinand Marcos Jr with his cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez during the National Tax Campaign at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on February 7, 2023. Philippine News Agency
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not intervene to stop the arrest of his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, over a P7.4-billion plunder case, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday.
Remulla, who helped serve Romualdez’s arrest warrant at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, said the president did not hinder him nor his brother Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla from doing their duty.
Court orders Romualdez arrest over plunder case
“Kahit i-check niyo lahat ng phone records namin, wala kaming communications talaga,” Remulla also said.
(Even if you check our phone records, there was no communication with the president.)
He said he only learned that the Office of the Ombudsman filed the case when news of it came out while he was having lunch with his staff.
‘DUTY’ OVER FAMILY
Remulla acknowledged the relationship between Marcos Jr. and Romualdez, saying they were as close as brothers.
“Walang kapatid na lalaki si ating pangulo. So isa sa pinakamalapit na yan sa kanya,” he said.
(The president has no male siblings, so Romualdez is among those he is closest to.)
“Make no mistake about it, it really hurts him. But it is his duty,” he said.
Marcos Jr., in his State of the Nation Address in July, mentioned that charges may soon be filed against his cousin, who is also congressman for Leyte's 1st District.
He said then that he is "not president of my family or of my friends" and that he knows his duty.
Romualdez was arrested Monday night after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for the P7.4-billion plunder case the Ombudsman filed.
Remulla said the congressman remains in police custody while receiving medical treatment.
He will transferred to proper detention, likely at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas , when medically cleared.
“Hindi kami titigil dito, araw-araw mamonitor namin siya,” Remulla said, adding police personnel are posted outside the hotel room.
(We will not let up. We will monitor him every day.)
‘ONLY THE BEGINNING’
Remulla’s comments came as the Ombudsman signaled that the P7.4-billion case may be only the beginning of Romualdez's legal challenges.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said investigators had evidence involving around P56 billion to P57 billion in alleged project deliveries, with another P49 billion to almost P50 billion potentially becoming the subject of succeeding cases.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, meanwhile, alleged that the corruption system involved the selling of project allocations and a 20% payment.
He said that ex-congressman Zaldy Co, who is also facing plunder and graft cases related to flood-control projects, could not have acted without Romualdez.