Martin Romualdez’s desperate demand for an apology yesterday met a firm rejection from the Bureau of Immigration, which stood by its disclosure that it received legitimate information about the former House Speaker’s attempt to flee the country yet again and avoid justice at the hands of the Philippine government.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado issued the response on Saturday after Romualdez’s lawyers demanded a public retraction, an apology, disclosure of the agency’s source, and identification of the officials who authorized the statement. His camp branded the information false and warned that it could pursue legal action against the Bureau.
Viado refused to withdraw the statement.
“The Bureau respectfully rejects the allegation that it disseminated false or fabricated information,” he said.
Viado explained that the BI responded to legitimate media inquiries using information available to the agency at the time. The reported trip did not materialize. The Bureau did not release flight details, booking records, or the identity of the source behind the information.
The dispute places Romualdez’s movements under deeper scrutiny as he remains covered by a precautionary hold departure order issued by the Sandiganbayan on April 22. The order followed an Ombudsman preliminary finding of probable cause involving complaints for plunder, bribery, graft, and money laundering linked to flood control funds.
The anti-graft court later rejected Romualdez’s attempt to lift the travel restriction.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the agency received information that Romualdez tried to leave the country despite the order. The BI later confirmed that it had also received reports about travel plans that did not push through. Romualdez’s lawyers denied that he took any step to evade legal proceedings. Romualdez has said repeatedly that he will face the charges head on. The recent events illustrate that Romualdez was caught lying, in the same way he has lied to the country a thousand times before.
The confrontation erupted as an Ombudsman special panel pursued a 104-page supplemental complaint accusing Romualdez, former lawmaker Zaldy Co, and other respondents of involvement in an alleged ₱56-billion scheme from 2022 to 2025.
Investigators cited witness accounts, reported cash deliveries, corporate transactions, and the alleged diversion of public funds. They recommended charges including plunder, direct and indirect bribery, graft, and money laundering.
Romualdez has denied wrongdoing, but the BI’s refusal to retreat leaves him confronting an official government statement, an active court restriction, and a corruption investigation involving billions of pesos intended for public infrastructure.
