INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla has said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has “zero” intervention on matters related to his cousin, former House Speaker Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez who was placed under police custody over plunder charges.
In a press conference on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, Remulla said the President gave no instructions on how Romualdez should be treated.
“They’re just not cousins, they are brothers because the President does not have a male sibling. So he is his closest cousin,”. Remulla said in Tagalog.
“If you think this is easy for the President, it’s not. If you’re asking if there are instructions on the treatment of Romualdez, there is none, zero. I can even show you my phone log if you want. There are really no instructions , no conversations leading to this, zero instructions,” he added.
The DILG head also said for “clarity’s sake,” he and Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, are very close friends with Romualdez.
“We are fraternity brothers and we were together at the University of the Philippines, especially Boying and Martin are very close. They really have a very, very strong relationship. Also, Martin and I are very close. But in the interest of the State, we will do everything. We are not avoiding anything, no friends, no fraternity brother, no cousin of the President. The law is the law. We will follow the court’s order,” he declared.
Remulla, along with Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Major Gen. Alexander Morico II served the arrest warrant of Romualdez issued by the Sandiganbayan on Monday evening, Sept. 7.
The warrant was in relation to plunder charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Romualdez, fugitive former Ako-Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and two others for the alleged misuse of P7.4 billion in government funds.
Romualdez was confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City due to a cardiovascular event when the warrant was served. He underwent booking procedure carried out by the CIDG, which included a mugshot and fingerprint capture.
In the official mugshot released by the CIDG, Romualdez is seen lying on a hospital bed with the orange CIDG detainee shirt spread on his chest.
“The mugshot couldn’t be taken in the traditional manner because he was lying down but he understood his Miranda Rights and accepted them. We could not let him wear the shirt because he was on an IV drip so it was just placed on top of him,” Remulla explained.
Remulla said two armed guards were posted outside the hospital room of Romualdez while a mobile patrol unit was deployed in the vicinity of the facility.
“Martin Romualdez is a flight risk, he has two private jets, three helicopters, three yachts, so he is a flight risk. We will do everything ahead of time to be preemptive,” he said.
During their short conversation, Remulla said he asked for Romualdez’s understanding as he had a job to do.
In response, Romualdez said he understood that it was nothing personal.
Remulla said once doctors find Romualdez fit enough to stand trial, police authorities 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 the flood control anomalies.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta who is facing complaints in relation to an alleged undeclared P75 million worth of election donations during the 2025 elections is also detained at the Payatas jail.
Before he was brought there, Marcoleta was also detained for several days at the PNP General Hospital due to pre-existing medical conditions. / TPM