Ombudsman prodded on Romualdez's cases

The Sandiganbayan has called the attention of the Office of the Ombudsman to resume the preliminary investigation into 24 counts of graft against former ambassador and Leyte governor Benjamin "Kokoy" Romualdez, which got stalled in 1995, a highly placed source said.

The source said Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francis Garchitorena has prodded the Ombudsman's special prosecutor's office, headed by lawyer Eveyln Lucero, to resume the preliminary investigation, after which the anti-graft court's first division can set Romualdez's arraignment on the 24 counts of graft.

The graft charges against Romualdez, younger brother of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, stemmed from his alleged failure to file statements of assets and liabilities during his incumbency as Leyte governor and ambassador to China, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Besides these charges, Romualdez is facing two other counts of graft with the Sandiganbayan's third division, arising from his holding of dual positions and receiving compensation for each.

With the court's second division, Romualdez faces charges for a $1.869-million loan he allegedly obtained from the Development Bank of the Philippines for and on behalf of Philippine Journalists Inc., publisher of the tabloid People's Journal.