Romualdez to seek bail as Sandiganbayan weighs suspension

MANILA, Philippines — Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will seek bail in the P7.44-billion plunder case filed against him, his lawyers told the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Wednesday.

Romualdez, wearing a yellow shirt issued to persons deprived of liberty and seated in a wheelchair, attended his arraignment via video conference from the New Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Associate Justice Karl Miranda, chair of the Third Division, asked Romualdez’s lawyers whether he intended to seek bail after entering his plea.

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READ: Martin Romualdez pleads not guilty for plunder

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“We confirm, we will file [a petition for bail], Your Honor, which is why we want the pretrial to be completed,” said Romualdez’s lawyer Rachel Ann Pomoy in response. 

Plunder is non-bailable and shall only be allowed if the accused’s evidence of guilt is not strong, which could only be established during bail hearing. 

Aside from the bail issue, Miranda gave Romualdez 10 days to explain why he should not be preventively suspended from public office.

READ: Romualdez now behind bars 

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The preventive suspension of an official facing a plunder case is provided under Republic Act No. 7080, or the Anti-Plunder Act.

On Sept. 7 the antigraft court issued a warrant of arrest against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and two others for plunder over alleged kickbacks worth P7.44 billion.

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The amount allegedly came from contractors, persons and entities with interests in flood control, infrastructure and/or other government projects funded under the General Appropriations Acts for fiscal years 2022 to 2025, according to prosecutors.

The Leyte representative was hospitalized for nearly a week before he was taken into custody at the New Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory./dp