Romualdez moved to Payatas jail, arraignment set Sept. 16

MANILA, Philippines — Former House speaker Martin Romualdez was transferred to the New Quezon City Jail late Monday after government doctors found no medical need for continued hospital confinement, two days before his scheduled arraignment on a P7.44-billion plunder case.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division set Romualdez's arraignment and pre-trial for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 16, according to a resolution released Monday.

During arraignment, Romualdez will be asked to enter a plea to the plunder charge against him.

The anti-graft court also ordered his immediate transfer to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory after doctors from the Philippine General Hospital testified that he was clinically stable and no longer required inpatient care at an acute care hospital.

Romualdez was transferred from PGH to the jail in Payatas, Quezon City at 10:09 p.m. Monday.

PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi told the court that Romualdez was "clinically stable" and unlikely to suffer an emergency medical condition if discharged from hospital confinement.

The PGH team said unstable angina was "not demonstrated" during its evaluation and found no acute cerebrovascular event, despite earlier diagnoses cited by Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Doctors confirmed that Romualdez has chronic coronary artery disease and chronic cerebrovascular disease, but said neither condition currently requires inpatient management.

They also told the court that his response to a stress test was normal and estimated that his annual risk of suffering a heart attack over the next decade was about 3%.

Dr. Henry Fabro, chief medical officer of the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory, assured the court that the facility could manage Romualdez's medical needs.

Fabro said Romualdez could regularly use his CPAP machine, receive prescribed medication and consult his private doctors inside the jail. He could also be transferred to a nearby hospital in an emergency.

Romualdez had sought continued confinement at Cardinal Santos Medical Center after his September 7 arrest.

The Sandiganbayan instead ordered him transferred to PGH on September 11 for an independent medical examination.

Romualdez faces plunder allegations over P7.44 billion in alleged kickbacks from contractors and other parties with interests in flood-control, infrastructure and other government projects. — with reports from The STAR / Daphne Galvez

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