Martin Romualdez camp: Suspension does not constitute a finding of guilt

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The 90-day preventive suspension ordered by the Sandiganbayan on former Speaker Martin Romualdez does not mean there was a finding of guilt, his camp said Wednesday.

They added that the Sandiganbayan itself acknowledged that Romualdez's alleged participation in plunder and receipt of supposed kickbacks have yet to be established during trial.

“The court has not found Martin guilty of plunder. It has not established that he received a single peso in illegal commissions or kickbacks,” Romualdez's counsel Atty. Ade Fajardo said in a statement.

Preventive suspension was mandatory under the law, he added.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered the 90-day suspension of Romualdez, who is currently detained over a P7.4-billion plunder case, the clerk of court confirmed Tuesday.

The resolution directs Romualdez, the incumbent Leyte 1st District representative, to cease and desist from performing his official functions for 90 days from receipt of the order.

The Sandiganbayan resolution also said that acts attributable to Romualdez, his degree of participation, and specific transactions through which he allegedly received kickbacks or commissions “are matters to be threshed out and established during trial.”

“An allegation is not evidence. A valid Information is not a conviction. The prosecution must still prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Fajardo said.

He also said Romualdez is already detained and unable to exercise the ordinary powers of his congressional office.

Romualdez respects the court's ruling and will evaluate available legal remedies, Fajardo added.

“Hindi hatol ng pagkakasala ang suspension. Mismong korte ang nagsabing kailangan pang patunayan ang mga paratang. Hindi sapat ang akusasyon—kailangan ng ebidensya,” Fajardo said.

(The suspension is not a verdict of guilt. The court itself said that the allegations have yet to be proven. The accusation is not enough; evidence is needed.)

Romualdez is facing a plunder case over allegations that he and former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co received at least P7.44 billion in kickbacks from contractors and other entities involved in government flood control, infrastructure and other projects from 2022 to 2025.

The Ombudsman alleged that the two lawmakers received commissions and other financial benefits in at least 15 transactions, with some of the proceeds supposedly laundered through shell corporations, financial intermediaries and property acquisitions.

Romualdez has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The former House Speaker was arrested on Sept. 7 at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, where he was confined when authorities served the Sandiganbayan warrant.

He was transferred to the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas on Sept. 14 following a medical assessment at the Philippine General Hospital. —KG, GMA News