Martin Romualdez ordered arrested over P7.44-billion plunder case

PROBE. Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez appears before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure on October 14, 2025.

James Patrick Cruz/Rappler

The former House speaker may be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas – the designated detention center for flood control-related cases

MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan 3rd Division issued a warrant of arrest on Monday, September 7 against Leyte 1st District Representative and former House speaker Martin Romualdez over his P7.44-billion plunder case.

Plunder is non-bailable, so Romualdez will likely be held under police custody once he is arrested by the Philippine National Police or surrenders to authorities. He is also likely to be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas – the designated detention center for flood control-related cases.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the plunder case earlier on Monday against Romualdez and his co-accused: former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co, Joselyn Serenio, and Felicito Guevarra. Co is at large.

Romualdez allegedly received P7.44 billion in kickbacks from Co.

“Based on our investigation, Romualdez allegedly received kickbacks around 15 times from Co’s staff, from September 2022 to 2025. That’s for the P2-billion monthly quota or collections Romualdez imposed on Co,” the Ombudsman said in Filipino. 

“Serenio received the cash delivery in the lawmaker’s different houses and properties. Romualdez used nearly P5 billion from these kickbacks to establish shell or dummy companies like Golden Pheasant Holdings Corporation, Braavos Holdings Opc, and Valiant Consolidated Resources, Inc.,” it added.

According to the Ombudsman, their case against Romualdez and co-accused stands on the evidence and testimonies from several witnesses, including former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and former DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara, among others. – Rappler.com