LIVE UPDATES: Arrest of Martin Romualdez

The Philippine government will follow up its request for an Interpol red notice against former party-list lawmaker Zaldy Co in France, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday.

“We are filing a red notice for Zaldy Co again. Coincidentally, I will also be going to Lyon, France to follow up on his red notice with Interpol,” Remulla said at a press conference.

“So, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla announced yesterday that he is also going to Paris to talk to the authorities there. I will work with Interpol. He will work on diplomatic efforts to get Zaldy Co,” he added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will ask the court to allow the transfer of former speaker Martin Romualdez from a private hospital in San Juan City to PNP General Hospital at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

"Meantime, kami po ay magmo-motion for custody ni Martin Romualdez para dalhin sa Camp Crame hospital," Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

(For the meantime, we will be filing a motion for custody of Martin Romualdez to be taken to Camp Crame hospital.)

According to Remulla, the motion is expected to be filed either later Tuesday or Wednesday.

Romualdez was confined at a private hospital in San Juan City when authorities served his arrest warrant there on Monday evening.

The individuals who were named as co-accused of former speaker and incumbent Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez in a plunder case could not be found at their original addresses, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said Tuesday.

This was revealed by PNP-CIDG National Capital Region chief Colonel John Guiagui, according to GMA News reporter Maki Pulido.

Romualdez's co-accused in the plunder charge filed Monday by the Office of the Ombudsman with the Sandiganbayan are former House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol party-list; Romualdez's personal assistant Joselyn Tragua Sereño; and Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corporation.

Co, who is also facing other charges in connection with the flood control mess, was last reported to be staying in Paris, France, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said last May.

The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday morning filed the P7.4-billion plunder charge against Romualdez and three others over their alleged involvement in a kickback scheme on flood control projects. —with a report from Joahna Lei Casilao/KG, GMA News

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.

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.

According to GMA News reporter Maki Pulido, the PNP-CIDG said that Romualdez, who is facing plunder charges, is now under their custody.

The police served the arrest warrant on Romualdez at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, where he was taken on Monday afternoon after suffering a cardiovascular event, unstable blood pressure, and an anxiety attack.

Naghain ng mosyon si dating House Speaker Martin Romualdez sa Sandiganbayan Third Division nitong Lunes upang payagan siya na manatili muna sa ospital kung saan siya nakaratay habang hinaharap ang kasong plunder na isinampa laban sa kaniya ng Office of the Ombudsman.

Una rito, inihain ng Ombudsman laban sa dating speaker kasong plunder na nagkakahalaga ng P7.4 bilyon. Kasama sa kaso sina dating Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co, at dalawang iba pa dahil sa umano’y pagkakasangkot sa kickback scheme sa mga proyekto para sa flood control.

Dati nang itinanggi ni Romualdez ang mga ipinaparatang laban sa kaniya, at tiniyak na haharapin niya ang kaso.

Makalipas ang ilang oras matapos ihain ang habla, naglabas ang Third Division ng anti-graft court ng mga warrant of arrest laban sa kanila. Nang isilbi ng pulisya ang arrest warrant nitong Lunes ng hapon, napag-alaman na naka-confine na si Romualdez sa Cardinal Santos Medical Center sa San Juan City.