INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla has assured that arrested former House Speaker Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez will be moved to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas once doctors declare him “fit enough” to stand trial.
In a press conference on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, Remulla said Romualdez, who is presently confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City due to a cardiovascular event brought about by unstable blood pressure and anxiety, will be treated like any other person deprived of liberty.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection group (CIDG) is set to file a motion to transfer Romualdez to the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital in Camp Crame.
“Hindi kami pumapayag sa Cardinal Santos, kaya naman namin sa Crame yan but it’s up to the discretion of the courts kung papayagan siyang ilipat na sa Crame (We do not agree with him being at Cardinal Santos. We can handle things at Camp Crame; but it’s up to the discretion of the courts if we will be allowed to transfer him to Crame),” Remulla said.
Remulla added that the CIDG motion will be filed either later today, Tuesday, or tomorrow, Sept. 9.
“That will be our initial step under the formal custody. We will just give his doctors visitation and practicing rights so they can go to Camp Crame,” he said.
As of 9 a.m., Tuesday, the CIDG has returned Romualdez’ arrest warrant to the Sandiganbayan after it was served on Monday evening, September 7.
Accompanied by PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and CIDG Director Major Gen. Alexander Morico II, Remulla served the warrant on Romualdez at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center where the latter was admitted, hours after the Office of the Ombudsman filed plunder charges against him, fugitive former Ako-Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and two others for the alleged misuse of P7.4 billion in government funds.
Remulla said Romualdez earlier suffered a stroke sometime in July.
“Transient ischemic attack; it wasn’t that serious. Sa nakita ko lang wala siyang deficiency (As far as I could see, he has no deficiency) but he suffered a cerebral vascular event last July,” said Remulla.
Once doctors rule that Romualdez is fit enough to stand trial, Remulla said they will seek his transfer to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas where senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Department of Public Works and Highways officials and engineers are detained over charges related to flood control anomalies.
“The doctors will make the determination if he is fit to stand trial; but we will not stop. We will check on his condition everyday,” Remulla said in a mix of Tagalog and English.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta who is facing charges for alleged undeclared P75 million worth of election donations during the 2025 elections is also detained at the Payatas jail.
Before he was brought there, he was also detained for several days at the PNPGH due to pre-existing medical conditions. / TPM