Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla called on Leyte Rep. and former Speaker Martin Romualdez to face the plunder case against him and to “take it with more dignity” as he questioned the lawmaker’s bid for hospital arrest.
Remulla said he was not rejoicing about Romualdez being placed under custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, but he is also “not happy” that the former Speaker wants to be detained in the hospital.
“I’ve been in this job and I’ve been secretary of justice. If you look at the people who are confined or who are already in jail, in bilibid, or in BJMP, most of them are worse off than him,” Remulla said in a press conference.
He said the rule of law should prevail and nobody should be given special treatment.
The rich and the poor should be treated the same, he added.
Romualdez is confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center and the Sandiganbayan has ordered him transferred to the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) for an independent examination.
Remulla said Ombudsman prosecutors would ask the PGH doctors about Romualdez’s fitness to be in BJMP detention.
Hospital arrest should only be in extreme cases, he added.
“It’s very sad that the former speaker is resorting to this. I know him very well. But he should take it with more dignity… He should have more dignity with all of this,” he said.
“I’m not happy about it, but it’s the law. We have to apply the law,” he added.
He called on Romualdez to “face the music.”
“Face the charges like a real man should. Man up to it,” he added.
Romualdez, former lawmaker Elizaldy Co, Romualdez’s personal aide Joselyn Serenio, and businessman Felicito Guevarra were charged with plunder in connection with the alleged receipt of kickbacks from contractors and entities with interest in flood control, infrastructure and other government projects.
Romualdez has denied the allegations and said he never received the money.