BJMP: Romualdez has 'personal staff' while in detention; lawmaker never left jail

A personal staff of former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez is staying with the lawmaker in his cell in the New Quezon City jail, the jail warden of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Thursday.

BJMP Jail Warden Lourdes Pacion made the testimony during the hearing on the status of Romualdez's detention amid allegations of columinist Ramon Tulfo that the former speaker is able to leave the BJMP facility as he pleases in an ambulance.

"He has personal staff to help him in his daily needs," Pacion said.

Asked by the anti-court if the personal staff of Romualdez stays with the lawmaker inside his cell, Pacion answered in the affirmative.

Mental state

Pacion said allowing a personal staff or an individual to look after a person deprived of liberty is allowed on a case-to-case basis.

"I allowed it because his mental state is not yet stable per my assessment. We cannot hire more personnel to attend to the personal needs of Congressman Romualdez," Pacion said.

"We are allowing personal staff to stay inside the jail for humanitarian consideration, or if the patient is not in good condition, because we cannot attend to all personal needs of the patient," Pacion added.

Tulfo on Thursday morning, meanwhile, admitted that his information of Romualdez leaving detention facility was "false."

“I was fed the wrong report that former speaker Martin Romualdez could go in and out of jail,” Tulfo said.

Ahead of Tulfo's clarification, Pacion told the anti-graft court that Romualdez never left the BJMP premises in ambulance or any other vehicle.

"We categorically deny that information, your honor. Since the commitment of Congressman Romualdez [in detention], he stays in his room (cell). Once in a while he goes in the sunny area [of the detention facility]. For court hearings, he goes to the court room [provided by the facility]," Pacion said

"He did not go out riding an ambulance or any other vehicle," Pacion added.

Given Tulfo's retraction, the defense team of Romualdez put on record that Tulfo's previous allegation was untruthful and detrimental to their client.

"That was very damaging to our client because it has the tendency to inflame the public," the Romualdez's defense team said. —VAL, GMA News