Martin Romualdez making attempts to leave PH despite hold departure order — Ombudsman

Despite a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) from the Sandiganbayan, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has been attempting to leave the country, the Office of the Ombudsman said Monday.

In a press briefing, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano called on border security and law enforcement agencies to tighten controls and closely monitor boundaries, particularly informal channels that Romualdez could use to flee the Philippines.

“Despite a precautionary hold departure order issued by the Sandiganbayan, this office has received credible intelligence reports that former Speaker Martin Romualdez has not ceased attempting to leave the country. The office calls on all relevant agencies to make sure that this does not happen,” Clavano said.

Clavano's claims were denied by the camp of Romualdez.

"We deny in the strongest possible way any insinuation that Rep. Romualdez has attempted to evade the legal pocess. Uulitin po namin: kailanman ay hindi nagtago si Rep. Romualdez (We repeat: there has never been a time that Rep. Romualdez was hiding),", said Atty. Elaine Atienza, the spokesperson for Romualdez.

"Siya po ay nasa bansa at mananatili sa bansa (He is and will remain in the country) until such time that he will be able to clear his name," the lawyer added.

In April, the anti-graft court issued a PHDO against Romualdez who is being investigated over complaints of alleged plunder, direct bribery, violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, indirect bribery, and money laundering.

Clavano did not confirm whether Romualdez had been attempting to exit the country via informal channels, but noted that the legislator from Leyte was well aware he could not leave through formal exit points.

“Watch out, dahil malamang sa hindi niyan, lalabas ho siya sa informal channels at hindi sa formal borders natin. May PHDO na siya, ibig sabihin ho niyan, hindi na po siya makakaalis gamit ang ating mga normal or formal borders—airport, seaport,” Clavano said.

(Watch out, because more likely than not, he will exit via informal channels rather than our formal borders. He already has a PHDO, which means he can no longer leave using our normal or formal borders—airports and seaports.)

“Kung ganyan po ang intention ng isang tao na meron nang precautionary hold departure order, ang presumption natin ay hindi talaga siya dadaan sa formal borders, dahil alam niya na po e na bawal na siyang umalis,” he added.

(If that is the intention of a person who is already under a precautionary hold departure order, our presumption is that he will really not pass through formal borders, because he already knows that he is barred from leaving.)

In other developments on Monday, the Office of the Ombudsman announced that it is set to to file two separate complaints for preliminary investigations against Romualdez for plunder and violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act complaints.

Clavano explained that if Romualdez flees the country while the complaints undergo preliminary investigations and fails to submit a counter-affidavit, he waives his right to a defense, and the case will be resolved based on the allegations alone.

The two separate complaints to be filed for preliminary inquiry were the result of the Office of the Ombudsman’s fact-finding initiative into the alleged involvement of Romualdez in the flood control controversy.

Responding to this, Atienza said, "The announcement pertains only to the commencement of a preliminary investigation... Rep. Romualdez has not yet been formally served with a copy of the complaint. Once we receive it, sasagot kami ng buong buo (we will answer it in full)." —RF, GMA News