Romualdez asks Ombudsman to halt probe against him over 'prejudgment'

Former Speaker and incumbent Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has asked the Ombudsman to stop its investigation against him over alleged violation of due process, arguing that he was already prejudged in the matter. 

Romualdez, in a letter sent by his lawyers to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, said that the latter and Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano already tagged him a master plunderer in connection with alleged anomalous flood control projects, when there is no criminal case filed against him yet. 

His camp said that as early as November 2025, the Ombudsman was quoted as saying that they are “studying the Martin Romualdez case for the past forty days” adding that the Supreme Court has already diluted plunder in its recent decision so the Ombudsman has to be more “imaginative in filing these cases.” 

“Taken together, these statements plainly demonstrate that the Office of the Ombudsman was already determined to file plunder charges against Rep. Romualdez as early as November 2025,” the lawyers said.

The lawmaker's camp also said that the Ombudsman doubled down on its attacks against the Romualdez in a press conference last April 6 wherein Remulla said that they are preparing a plunder case against the former Speaker by May, noting that he "coordinated with others in the budgetary process" and that the case proceeds "as conspiracy, with the element of conspiracy involved in the preparation of the complaint.” 

This was followed by Clavano saying in a following press conference that the Ombudsman identified the former Speaker and former Senate president and incumbent Senator Francis Escudero as master plunderers.

"Given the public statements made by the Honorable Ombudsman and Assistant Ombudsman Clavano, there is a reasonable certainty that any fact-finding investigation will be a mere formality, regardless of the actual evidence or the lack thereof. It is readily apparent that the Honorable Ombudsman had already made its determination to prosecute Rep. Romualdez for plunder, and any investigation to be conducted would be a mere fishing expedition to support a foregone conclusion," Romualdez's lawyers said. 

"The Honorable Ombudsman's public statements make it practically impossible for subordinate officials not to conform to the official position already taken by the Ombudsman. Under these circumstances, the investigation would be a sham and violative of due process. In light of the above, we respectfully request that the Honorable Office inhibit itself from conducting any preliminary investigation that may be commenced by the filing of a complaint against Rep. Romualdez," they added.

They also took offense over the Ombudsman’s statement that he denied Romualdez’s travel request for a medical treatment in Singapore when the anti-graft body does not have an authority to make such denial.

“It is beyond the ambit of his authority as Ombudsman to restrain any person's right to travel. The Honorable Ombudsman even said, "baka hindi na bumalik", (he might not come back) insinuating, without basis, that Rep. Romualdez is a flight risk. Such statements are unequivocal: the Honorable Office has already determined that our client is guilty of plunder even before any case has been filed and while it is still performing investigatory duties,” the lawyers said. 

Further, the camp of the former Speaker said the investigation against him over alleged plunder, money laundering, bribery, among others, should be referred to an independent and impartial body or officer "who can conduct the proceedings free from any cloud of bias or prejudgment."

"This request is made not as a challenge to integrity, but in recognition of the high standards to which the Office of the Ombudsman is rightly held, to shield its proceedings from unnecessary questions regarding objectivity or fairness, and to safeguard our client's constitutional right to due process," his lawyers said. 

Earlier, Romualdez's camp said it would question the issuance of a precautionary hold departure order against him over charges in relation to the flood control controversy. — VDV/AOL, GMA News