LOOK: PNP releases mugshot of Martin Romualdez

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has released the mugshot of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez for his plunder case on Tuesday.

Romualdez has been served with a warrant of arrest on Monday and has undergone booking procedure at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center on Monday, according to Interior Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla.

Police have secured Romualdez at the San Juan hospital, where he was taken on Monday afternoon after suffering "a cardiovascular event, unstable blood pressure, and an anxiety attack," Remulla said.

Plunder

The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday filed a P7.4-billion plunder charge against Romualdez, former House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol party-list, Joselyn Tragua Serenio, who is the personal assistant of Romualdez, and Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corporation.

“By repeatedly receiving, directly or indirectly, on at least 15 occasions, commissions, shares, percentages. kickbacks, "commitments." and/or other pecuniary benefits aggregating at least P7.4 billion by reason or on account of the respective public offices and positions of Romualdez and Co, including monies derived from contractors, persons and entities with interests in flood control, infrastructure and/or other government projects funded under the General Appropriations Acts for fiscal years 2022 to 2025, which monies were delivered to properties owned by, occupied by, or associated with Romualdez and received by Serenio and other persons acting for and in his behalf,” the criminal information read.

Allegations

Atty. Ade Fajardo, lawyer of the former House speaker, said Romualdez will face all allegations against him.

“We respect the courts and the legal process. Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez will face the allegations against him in accordance with law,” Atty. Ade Fajardo, counsel of Romualdez, said in a statement.

“We recognize the public interest surrounding this case. But ultimately, criminal liability must be determined by the evidence presented in court, under the rules and safeguards of our justice system,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Tuesday returned the arrest warrant issued for former House speaker Martin Romualdez to the Sandiganbayan. —VAL, GMA News