Sandiganbayan summons Cardinal Santos doctors

DILG seeks Romualdez transfer to PNP hospital

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division has ordered four doctors of former House speaker Martin Romualdez to testify on his medical condition as it studies whether to let him remain in hospital confinement under custody.

The anti-graft court ordered doctors Rody Dy, Rogelio Libarnes, Kurt Allen Sibayan and Rosalio Torres to testify at a hearing set on Sept. 10.

Romualdez was also directed to appear before the court “should (his) condition permit.”

He and his doctors were ordered to present the results of all medical examinations the Leyte representative took during his hospital stay.

The court will hear the motion filed by Romualdez seeking continued hospital confinement at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) in San Juan where he checked in on Monday, about an hour after the warrant for his arrest was issued, after supposedly suffering a “cardiovascular event” and “anxiety attack.”

His medical certificate says he suffers from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, unstable angina, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular ischemic disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia and primary hypothyroidism.

He also reportedly underwent angioplasty surgery in October 2024 due to a coronary artery disease and has since required continuing cardiac monitoring and treatment.

He claimed that he was confined at the same hospital in July this year as irregularities were found in his MRI scan examination.

The Sandiganbayan, however, emphasized that custody of Romualdez belongs to the anti-graft court.

Hospital transfer

Saying they oppose Romualdez’s continued stay at the San Juan hospital, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla pushed for the transfer of the 62-year-old lawmaker to the Philippine National Police General Hospital.

Remulla said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which has custody of Romualdez, will file a motion to the Sandiganbayan Third Division to allow them to move Romualdez to the PNPGH at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“That will be our initial step under formal custody. We will give him visitation and practicing rights, including his doctors,” he said at a news briefing.

Members of Romualdez’s immediate family and his lawyers are also allowed access to the former speaker, who was placed under arrest on Monday night after the anti-graft court ordered his arrest.

Remulla said the PNPGH is more capable to handle the condition of Romualdez, who suffered a transient ischemic attack in July 2026. The lawmaker also has an unstable blood pressure, with his latest BP at 148/82.

Remulla has ordered officials of the New Quezon City Jail along Payatas Road to prepare for Romualdez’s arrival when news broke that he was at the hospital.

Police have tightened security at the hospital as Remulla described Romualdez as a flight risk due to the resources at his disposal to evade arrest, such as two private jets, three helicopters and three yachts.

Remulla said he has yet to talk with President Marcos about Romualdez, who is the Chief Executive’s cousin.

“If you think it’s easy for the President, it’s not. There are no instructions from the President regarding the treatment,” he added.

Remulla said he and his brother, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, are close friends with Romualdez.

“I told him, ‘I hope you understand why I’m doing this and it’s nothing personal,’ and he said ‘it’s OK, I understand’,” Remulla said.

Arrest warrant returned

The CIDG has returned to the Sandiganbayan the warrant of arrest against Romualdez, along with his medical evaluation from the CSMC.

CIDG National Capital Region chief Col. John Guiagui brought the documents to the anti-graft court’s Third Division, which is handling the plunder case.

He said Romualdez completed the booking procedures, including fingerprint scanning and mugshot taking. He said the lawmaker was already at the hospital before the warrant of arrest was issued by the court.

No special treatment

Romualdez was not accorded special treatment when he was placed under arrest on Monday night, the Philippine National Police said yesterday.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they followed legal procedures in enforcing the arrest warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan against Romualdez.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation has formed a special action unit to serve the arrest warrants against Romualdez’s co-accused in the plunder case, according to NBI Director Melvin Matibag.
Matibag said the NBI received copies of the warrants on Monday night and immediately tasked its special action unit and Special Task Group with enforcing them.
The warrants cover three other respondents, including former lawmaker Zaldy Co, Joselyn Serenio and Felicito Guevarra.

He said the NBI has coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration to determine whether Serenio and Guevarra have left the country.

Hospital arrest

In seeking hospital arrest, Romualdez filed a nine-page “manifestation of hospital confinement and urgent motion ad cautelam for continued hospital confinement under custody” before the Sandiganbayan.

“The certificate explains why the required care cannot, at this time, be safely delivered at a detention facility hospital, much less a detention facility, and identifies the clinical milestones or conditions upon which accused (Romualdez) may be medically cleared for transfers,” said Romualdez in the pleading obtained by reporters.

The hospital records also indicated that Romualdez had previously undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention, a procedure used to restore blood flow through a blocked coronary artery.

The medical certificate did not indicate a discharge date.-  Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong, Mark Ernest Villeza