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This photo released by the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital on September 9, 2026 shows a hospital bed in a room prepared for former Speaker Martin Romualdez should he be transferred to the said facility for his recovery. (Courtesy: PNPGH)
The Philippine National Police (PNP) cannot forcefully transfer an accused from a hospital until his doctors have certified he is already fit to leave, Malacañang on Wednesday said.
“The PNP or DILG leadership cannot forcefully remove an accused from a hospital when doctors have certified that he is not yet fit to leave,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said when asked to comment on the hospital detention of former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
She rejected insinuations that Romualdez was receiving special treatment, adding that the Palace would give doctors the “benefit of the doubt” in assessing the lawmaker’s health.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division is set to hear on today (Thursday, Sept. 10) the petition for hospital arrest filed by the former Speaker.
The court likewise directed the four attending physicians of Romualdez to attend the hearing.
In a manifestation and urgent motion for hospital detention, the lawyers of the ex-Speaker said he is currently under hospital confinement due to the hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; unstable angina; coronary artery disease; s/p pci (post percutaneous coronary intervention); cerebrovascular ischemic disease; type 2 diabetes mellitus; hypertension; dyslipidemia; and primary hypothyroidism.
“(The accused) has a documented cardiac history and has remained under continuing care for that condition,” read the manifestation.
His lawyers proposed a court-supervised arrangement that would include round-the-clock guards, visitor restrictions, and periodic medical certificates.
They also proposed for the former Speaker to be prohibited from leaving or transferring from the hospital without court approval except for medical emergencies.
Castro said any arrangement would depend on medical findings, preferably from doctors viewed as independent of the former Speaker.
She said the Palace would not interfere with assessments of an accused person’s health condition.
The PNP General Hospital is prepared to take in Romualdez should the Sandiganbayan approve his transfer from Cardinal Santos Medical Center, PNP chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
“Our facilities and personnel are ready to provide medical care while ensuring proper custody under the law,” he said.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said prosecutors would ask for a team of government doctors to assess whether the former Speaker’s illnesses require continued hospitalization or can be managed outside the hospital.
— Charles Dantes, Vince Lopez & Rex Espiritu
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Credit belongs to: www.manilastandard.net
