FACT CHECK: Romualdez still detained, no evidence of planned escape abroad

The video offers no evidence for its claim that the former House speaker will be flown abroad as part of an escape plan

AT A GLANCE

• A YouTube video falsely claims former House speaker Martin Romualdez's son has died, and that this was supposedly used as a cover-up for a plan to fly him out of the country.
• There are no credible reports confirming the death of Romualdez's son or any plan for his escape, as he remains detained following his arrest.
• The video misrepresents an incident related to a law student’s death and includes misleading imagery and claims about Romualdez's potential flight risk.

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Claim: A video claims that reports of the supposed death of former House speaker Martin Romualdez’s son were circulated to cover up a plan to fly the detained lawmaker out of the country.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A YouTube video posted by the channel “Munting Kaalaman” on September 21 carries the claim.

Its thumbnail shows an image of Romualdez seemingly being wheeled toward an airport departure area. Text on the image reads, “Patay anak ni Martin bluff lang pala, Martin isasakay sa eroplano?” (Martin’s son’s death is just a bluff, is Martin about to be put on a plane?) and “Paen lang kunwari namatay anak, Zaldy Co binunyag masterplan?” (Just bait, pretending his son died, Zaldy Co exposed the masterplan?)

Its title reads, “Patibong lang pala kunwari namatay anak ni Romualdez pero itatakas na sa abroad! Masterplan buking.”

(It was just a trap, to pretend that Romualdez’s son was dead, but he was going to escape abroad! Masterplan exposed.)

As of writing, the video has drawn 302 likes and 5,800 views.

The facts: There is no credible report confirming that Romualdez’s son died, nor any statement from credible sources exposing a supposed plan to fly Romualdez out of the country.

Romualdez, who was arrested on September 7 while confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, remains detained at the New Quezon City Jail after doctors cleared him for transfer to the Payatas jail on September 14. There is no credible report placing him at an airport or aboard an aircraft to escape, contrary to the imagery shown in the video.

Earlier, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Romualdez was considered a potential flight risk. Remulla cited the former House speaker’s access to two private jets, three helicopters and three yachts. Authorities had also issued a hold departure order against him in April.

Meanwhile, the incident mentioned in the video is likely referring to the reported death of a law student, not Romualdez’s son.

Plunder charges: Romualdez faces a P7.4-billion plunder case alongside former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co and private individuals Joselyn Serenio and Felicito Guevarra related to alleged kickbacks from flood control and other government projects between 2022 and 2025. 

On September 16, Romualdez entered a not-guilty plea in his plunder case. He has also filed a petition for bail before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. 

Meanwhile, Co — currently at large and believed to be in France seeking asylum — has separately alleged that Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. orchestrated the insertion of P100 billion in projects into the 2025 budget. Both men have denied these claims. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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