Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said former House Speaker Martin Romualdez remains under custody following his arrest over the ₱7.4-billion plunder case filed by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan.
Dizon made the statement after Romualdez’s camp sought continued hospital confinement while under custody following his arrest at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan. Romualdez served the arrest warrant while at the hospital, where his lawyers cited his medical condition as a basis for requesting that he remain confined.
“Pag ordinaryong tao, walang ganoon. So para sa akin, justice needs to be fair. We leave it up to the courts,” Dizon said.
The DPWH chief said the courts would ultimately decide whether Romualdez should continue staying in the hospital while under custody, but stressed that the same standards of justice should apply regardless of a person’s position.
He said the arrest of the former House Speaker is not the conclusion of the investigation, as the Ombudsman continues pursuing further actions and possible cases connected to the controversy.
“Lahat ng mga dapat managot, mananagot. Hintayin na lang natin yung mga susunod pang ipa-file ng Ombudsman sa mga susunod na linggo,” Dizon said.
“At na-file na at naaresto na si former Speaker Martin, at hindi pa natatapos tayo dito,” Dizon added.
The developments come as Dizon continues cleanup of DPWH which was at the center of scrutiny over flood-control projects nationwide, with authorities continuing to examine irregularities involving billions of pesos in public funds.
The arrest of Romualdez represents a major development in the broader investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds, with officials signaling that the probe will continue as more evidence is reviewed and further cases are pursued.
It’s a victory for the Filipino people, long forced to endure nature’s wrath while flood-control projects meant to shield them were either nonexistent or substandard—failures that left 9.4 million affected and claimed 39 lives in the latest heavy rains.
It comes as PGMN’s heavy-hitting barrage of corruption exposés against Romualdez entered its 11th straight week—racking up 230 million views across 2,042 posts—cementing itself as the most viral anti-corruption campaign ever mounted against a single figure in Philippine social media history. Even as Romualdez scrambled to fight back, filing more than 80 lawsuits against PGMN, the nonstop stream of content exposing him only grew louder and more relentless.
Now all eyes are locked on the Sandiganbayan. The burning question: will they stand firm-or cave to Romualdez’s corruption the way witnesses did?
Among those under scrutiny is Associate Justice Ronald Moreno of the Sandiganbayan Third Division, now handling Romualdez’s case. Moreno drew attention for voting to grant Bong Revilla bail in another flood-control corruption case, alongside Justice Fritz Bryn Anthony Delos Santos, while Division Chair Karl Miranda dissented.
That decision freed Revilla after a ₱1-million bond tied to the ₱92.8-million ghost flood-control project in Pandi, Bulacan-an empty lot masquerading as infrastructure.
