Sandiganbayan orders Romualdez transfer from private hospital to PGH

The Sandiganbayan Third Division has ordered former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez transferred from Cardinal Santos Medical Center to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for an independent medical assessment.

The anti-graft court issued the order Friday, Sept. 11, directing the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to transfer Romualdez to PGH at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi, or an authorized representative, was instructed to conduct a medical examination of Romualdez without the direct or indirect participation or influence of his doctors at Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

The court ordered the PGH medical team to submit its report and recommendations by Sunday, Sept. 13. The doctors are also required to testify before the court at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, particularly on whether Romualdez needs to remain hospitalized while under detention.

“Allow accused Romualdez to stay in UP-PGH and attend to him thereat until further orders from the court,” the order read.

The directive comes as the court considers Romualdez’s request to remain hospitalized amid medical concerns raised by his doctors.

Romualdez was served an arrest warrant in connection with the P7.4-billion plunder charges filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman. He had been confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center hours before the warrant was issued.

During Friday’s hearing, Romualdez’s psychiatrist, Lourdes Ignacio, testified that he was suffering from depressive disorder and anxiety and had been prescribed oral medication. Ignacio also answered in the affirmative when asked whether regular mindfulness sessions could be conducted at other medical facilities.

His attending physician at Cardinal Santos, Rosalio Torres, had maintained that Romualdez should remain at the private hospital because he was at “high risk of possible heart attack,” citing unstable angina and underlying coronary disease.

Cardiologist Rody Sy said Romualdez would need around four to six weeks to recover from illnesses brought about by stress.

Romualdez reportedly underwent angioplasty in October 2024 and suffered a stroke sometime in July.

Meanwhile, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla urged Romualdez to face the criminal charges against him during a press conference Friday.

“Face the music, face the charges like a real man should. Man up to it. You should have a lot of pride and dignity in your person. Hindi dapat ganyan yung parang nag-reflake,” he said.

Remulla also opposed Romualdez’s continued confinement at the private hospital, saying some convicted prisoners have more serious medical conditions.

“It’s very sad that the former speaker is resorting to this. I know him very well but he should take it with more dignity, hindi dapat ganito. He should have more dignity with all of this. Wala naman may gusto na mangyari ito. I’m not happy about it but it’s the law we have to apply,” he said.

“That is essentially why there’s a warrant of arrest against him. I’m not rejoicing about the fact that he is already under the auspices of the BJMP but I’m not either happy that he wants to stay in hospital. Siyempre ayaw natin yun. Hindi magandang pangitain sa taong bayan na sasabihin na naman, porket may kaya ito na naman, nasa ospital; ‘yung mahirap, nakakulong,” he added.

The Ombudsman’s position comes as the Sandiganbayan prepares to receive an independent assessment from PGH on Romualdez’s condition and whether continued hospital detention is medically necessary.

Romualdez’s brother, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, earlier acknowledged his close ties with the former House speaker due to their fraternity brotherhood.