FORMER House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez was arrested pursuant to a warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan third division on Monday.
The legal team of Romualdez filed a manifestation for hospital confinement and according to Interior Sec. Jonvic Remulla, he was confined for suffering a cardiovascular event, high blood pressure and anxiety attack.
His warrant was served in the hospital where he was also processed pursuant to booking procedures.
The warrant of arrest for him was issued only hours after he was formally charged with plunder in relation to an alleged flood control kickback scheme.
The Sandiganbayan also issued an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, a private individual and the president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp.
According to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, the case against Romualdez involved a total of P7.4 billion in alleged bribes, anomalous budget insertions and project allocations.
Plunder is punishable by life imprisonment and is a non-bailable offense.
