Ex-speaker Romualdez remains at Cardinal as BJMP assumes custody

This was the clarification issued by Atty. Dennis Pulma, the clerk of court of the Sandiganbayan Third Division, on Thursday, Sept. 10, following questions over the implementation of the commitment order for Romualdez.

The order, according to him, placed Romualdez under the custody of the BJMP facility in Payatas, Quezon City.

However, Pulma noted that his physical transfer from the hospital remains pending as the court has yet to finish hearing his urgent motion for continued hospital confinement.

“Right now gusto namin ma-clear na ‘yung confinement ni former speaker [Romualdez] sa Cardinal Santos will remain until further orders from the Court. (Right now, we want to make it clear that the former speaker Romualdez’ confinement at Cardinal Santos will remain until further orders from the Court),” he told reporters.

He explained that BJMP personnel from the Payatas facility would replace CIDG officers as Romualdez’ principal custodians at the private hospital.

“So being the primary custodian, ang magbabantay na doon, kumbaga sa inner circle, ay people o personnel from the BJMP in Payatas. (So, as the primary custodian, the personnel who will guard him there, particularly within the inner security circle, will be from the BJMP in Payatas),” he added.

Per Pulma, the CIDG would continue to have a supporting role as the BJMP may seek its assistance on security concerns.

During an ambush interview after the hearing, CIDG-National Capital Region chief Col. John Guiagui confirmed that the change involved the transfer of guarding duties at Cardinal Santos from the CIDG to the BJMP.

“We have here the order of commitment na from CIDG, BJMP na ang magbabantay doon sa Cardinal Santos Medical Center. (We have the commitment order stating that the BJMP, instead of the CIDG, will now guard him at Cardinal Santos Medical Center),” Guiagui said.

He said the turnover would take effect on Thursday, Sept. 10.

“Yes. Ito palang kaya didiretso nako sa Cardinal Santos Medical Center. I will be waiting for the BJMP para mai-transfer namin ang pagbabantay kay former speaker Romualdez. (Yes. I have just received this, so I will proceed directly to Cardinal Santos Medical Center. I will wait for the BJMP so we can transfer the responsibility of guarding former speaker Romualdez),” said Guiagui.

The anti-graft court’s Third Division is set to continue the hearing on Romualdez’s motion on Friday morning, Sept. 11.

Pulma said five doctors from Cardinal Santos are expected to appear, including psychiatrist Dr. Lourdes Ignacio.

“So lima. We’re expecting bukas limang doctors, all from Cardinal Santos. (So there will be five. We are expecting five doctors tomorrow, all from Cardinal Santos),” he said.

Ignacio was added to the list of doctors summoned after Romualdez’ camp asked the Sandiganbayan to subpoena her, too.

During Thursday’s hearing, Dr. Kurt Allen V. Sibayan, Romualdez’ listed admitting physician, testified that he never saw the former speaker and was barred by two other doctors from entering his hospital room.

He also said the former speaker’s case was not classified as an emergency.

Romualdez is facing a plunder charge before the Third Division over alleged irregularities in the national budget. — Jel Santos