Long before former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was arrested over a ₱7.4-billion plunder case, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon had already taken an unusually bold political step: he put the department’s own project records, corporate information and sworn testimony involving Romualdez before the Office of the Ombudsman. The courage behind that move was difficult to ignore.
Dizon signed and advanced a formal DPWH referral naming Romualdez and Zaldy Co and asking the Ombudsman to examine possible plunder, graft and bribery—putting the full weight of the country’s infrastructure department behind evidence involving one of the most powerful political figures of that period.
The move took shape in a 26-page DPWH referral dated November 21, 2025, which formally asked the Ombudsman to investigate Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and other individuals and entities in connection with the flood-control controversy. The document was signed by Dizon and submitted for the Ombudsman’s “evaluation and consideration.”
The referral consolidated material from several sources. It cited testimony presented during Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on alleged project insertions, commitment fees and cash deliveries, including accounts that mentioned both Co and Romualdez.
It also examined corporate information involving Sunwest Inc. and Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corporation and matched those records against data from the DPWH’s own Project and Contract Management Application.
According to the referral, Sunwest secured 515 DPWH projects worth about ₱67.19 billion from 2018 to 2025, while Hi-Tone obtained 377 projects worth about ₱32.03 billion from 2022 to 2025. The document further broke down projects awarded to the firms in Regions V and VIII.
On November 21, Dizon and Independent Commission for Infrastructure member Rogelio “Babes” Singson personally went to the Ombudsman to turn over boxes of evidence. Dizon said the joint DPWH-ICI recommendation covered roughly ₱100 billion in government contracts involving Sunwest and Hi-Tone from 2016 to 2025.
“Hindi namin sasabihing recommended kung wala kaming nakikitang basehan,” Dizon said after the referral was submitted.
The DPWH document identified possible violations of the Plunder Law, Sections 3(a), 3(b), 3(e) and 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and direct bribery under Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code. Its recommended-action section named Romualdez, Co, members of the boards of Sunwest and Hi-Tone and other parties for the Ombudsman’s consideration.
The referral placed information held by the agency responsible for the infrastructure projects directly before the government body tasked with investigating and prosecuting corruption complaints.
The Ombudsman continued its case buildup in the succeeding months.
On September 7, 2026, nearly 10 months after the referral, the Ombudsman filed a ₱7.4-billion plunder case before the Sandiganbayan against Romualdez, Co and two others over an alleged kickback scheme involving government infrastructure projects. The Sandiganbayan Third Division later issued warrants of arrest, and Romualdez was served his warrant that evening while confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan.
The case has since moved to a new issue: where Romualdez will remain while under custody.
The Sandiganbayan has set a September 10 hearing on his request for continued hospital confinement and ordered his attending physicians to appear and present the results of his medical examinations. Romualdez was also directed to attend if his condition permits.
Dizon, meanwhile, has argued that the same standards should apply to Romualdez as to other accused persons.
“Pag ordinaryong tao, walang ganoon. So para sa akin, justice needs to be fair,” Dizon said, while leaving the decision on Romualdez’s confinement to the court.
Nearly 10 months after Dizon signed the DPWH referral and brought the department’s findings to the Ombudsman, Romualdez is now under police custody facing the ₱7.4-billion plunder case, with the Sandiganbayan set to decide whether he will remain in a private hospital or be transferred to a detention facility.
