Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will face another mugshot—this time standing, not lying in a hospital bed—once he is transferred to jail and removed from hospital detention at Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group NCR chief PCol. John Guiagui explained that the mugshot taken at the hospital, where Romualdez was photographed lying down with an orange detainee shirt placed over his clothes due to medical apparatus, was not final.
“We have some other time naman na kung okay na siya, stable na siya, fit na siya, we can do the mugshot,” Guiagui said.
Romualdez was arrested on Sept. 7 after the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued a warrant in connection with the ₱7.4‑billion plunder case filed by the Ombudsman. Police served the warrant at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, where he was confined.
The admitting physician at Cardinal Santos later testified that Romualdez bypassed the usual admitting process and went straight to a private hospital room instead of the emergency ward—calling the setup “unusual,” as Romualdez was supposedly brought in for chest pain but never personally seen.
The hospital mugshot later drew public scrutiny after monitor readings in the room showed stable vital signs: heart rate between 81 and 98 bpm, oxygen saturation at 99%, and blood pressure ranging from 118/76 to a slightly elevated 148/90.
The Sandiganbayan, siding with public outcry, ordered Romualdez’s transfer to Payatas once hospital confinement ends. His arraignment and pre‑trial are scheduled for Sept. 14 at 8:30 a.m.
For millions of Filipinos left to endure flooding while ghost flood‑control projects failed them, the court’s decision marks a victory against the master plunderer.
It also stands as a triumph for Peanut Gallery Media Network’s relentless exposés, now on their 11th consecutive week, amassing more than 240 million views across over 2,000 posts—cementing the most viral anti‑corruption campaign ever mounted against a single figure in Philippine social media history. Even as Romualdez fought back with over 80 lawsuits, the barrage only grew louder. And now, he’s going to jail.
