Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez pleads not guilty during his arraignment via videoconference from the Quezon City Jail in Payatas on September 16, 2026. Aaron Favila, AP Photos/Pool/File
MANILA — Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has filed a petition for bail for his plunder case before the Sandiganbayan Third Division over the alleged P7.4 billion "ill-gotten wealth" from the government infrastructure kickback scheme.
The former House speaker has been detained at the Quezon City Jail due to a plunder charge in relation to an alleged P7.4-billion kickback scheme in government projects.
The lawmaker was arrested at a private hospital in San Juan City, where he was admitted due to several illnesses including hypertension and diabetes.
The Sandiganbayan ordered his transfer to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for an independent medical examination.
He was then transferred to the Quezon City Jail after PGH Medical Director Gerardo Legaspi testified that Romualdez is clinically stable and does not need hospital confinement.
Aside from Romualdez, former congressman Zaldy Co and two others are facing the same charge.
More details to follow.