THE Sandiganbagan Third Division on Monday ordered former speaker Martin Romualdez arrested, after the Office of the Ombudsman filed a P7.4 billion plunder case against him.
Also ordered arrested are fugitive former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co, and two others implicated in the plunder case.
The order came just hours after Ombudsman Jesus Remulla confirmed they filed the plunder case against Romualdez, the president’s first cousin, before the anti-graft court earlier in the day, tagging him as “the biggest fish” charged in the flood control bribery scandal to date.
Hospitalized
Romualdez was taken to hospital Monday afternoon after suffering from a cardiovascular event, unstable blood pressure and anxiety attack all on the day of his arrest, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday.
In the evening, Remulla, together with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. went to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City to serve his arrest warrant.
“He’s confined here as, according to the doctors, he is suffering from a cardiovascular event, unstable blood pressure and he’s having an anxiety attack,” Remulla told reporters.
“However, we made it clear that like in (former secretary Manuel) Bonoan’s case, we will check everyday until he is well enough to be presented to court. In the meantime, we have armed guards outside his door, and armed police outside the hospital and in the lobby and he is now considered a person deprived of liberty after we read him his rights,” Remulla said.
Case build-up
Speaking at a news conference, Ombudsman Remulla said the case build up against the former leader of the House of Representatives underwent a tedious process.
“We didn’t want to file a case prematurely. We wanted to ensure all our evidence was in place... That is exactly what we did here. The process wasn’t easy, but as the saying goes, no matter how long the procession, it eventually ends up at the church,” he said.
Remulla said this demonstrates that the Ombudsman spares no one and that the filing of charges is based on their investigation.
“Many more cases will be filed here... There are other plunder cases, and many of them are money laundering cases,” he said.
“This is just a first in a series of cases we will file,” he added.
Remulla said Romualdez conspired with Co to pocket billions of pesos in public funds.
Romualdez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
Plunder is a non-bailable offense referring to large-scale corruption punishable by life imprisonment.
“We don’t pick and choose, there is no name here that we’re trying to avoid. Everything here is based on evidence,” Remulla told reporters.
“This case proves that there are no sacred cows.”
Remulla said prosecutors intended to file additional cases against Romualdez and others implicated in the flood control scandal.
Meanwhile, the congressman’s camp guaranteed Romualdez will face the allegations against him through the legal process and is asking only “for the same due process and fair hearing accorded to every Filipino.”
In a statement, Romualdez’s counsel and mouthpiece Ade Fajardo said the lawmaker respects the courts and will answer the allegations against him in accordance with law.
“Representative Romualdez asks for no special treatment. He asks only for the same due process and fair hearing guaranteed to every Filipino,” he added.
The plunder case was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division, chaired by Associate Justice Karl Miranda.
No sacred cows
Malacañang maintained that anyone found by the courts involved in the flood control scandal should be held accountable, regardless of their personal ties with the administration.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reiterated the message of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his State of the Nation Address that personal ties with the former house speaker would not stand in the way of the government’s anti-corruption campaign.
“Whoever is responsible must be held accountable—be it a relative, an ally, or a political opponent.
She added that if the investigation points to Romualdez then he should be held accountable.
Romualdez resigned as speaker of the House of Representatives in September last year after his name surfaced in the widening investigation. WITH AFP, JAMES DANIEL DANIO
