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Then Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers a speech, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177676094435120250917-house-of-rep-romualdez-steps-down-MT18 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Then Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers a speech, September 17, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez secured clearance from the House of Representatives to travel to Singapore, his lawyer clarified Tuesday, following comments from the Office of Ombudsman. </p><p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier in the day said his office &quot;did not respond favorably&quot; to Romualdez&#x27;s request to leave for a checkup in Singapore. </p><p>Remulla added that Romualdez was the subject of an immigration lookout order as the Ombudsman continued its investigation on the lawmaker in connection with the flood control scandal.</p><p>“Mr. Romualdez was supposed to have a check-up in Singapore. They were trying to ask us to allow him to leave, but because we have among those who are under investigation, we did not respond favorably with the request to leave,” Remulla told reporters.</p><p>&quot;Magkakaroon na naman ng haka-haka at kuro-kuro yan. Sana naman, dito na lang siya magpa-check-up kasi magagaling naman mga doctor natin dito,” he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/7/ombudsman-says-already-at-tail-end-of-fact-finding-probe-vs-romualdez-escudero-1803">Ombudsman says already at &#x27;tail end&#x27; of fact-finding probe vs. Romualdez, Escudero</a></div><p>But Romualdez&#x27;s lawyer Ade Fajardo clarified that the lawmaker is &quot;not &#x27;barred&#x27; from leaving the country&quot; and an immigration lookout bulletin order &quot;does not prohibit travel but simply requires prior coordination with authorities.&quot; </p><p>&quot;In fact, Rep. Romualdez sought travel authority in all good faith — and this authority has been granted,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;This underscores his full compliance with the law and negates any insinuation of flight risk,&quot; Fajardo added.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0u4kxCzhuk6QoNiwqnQdP4whVAqkov5usj6oykUiM44qQUEPjNavDdLZBgRwPFpuZl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="811" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>In his earlier letter to Speaker Faustino Dy III, Romualdez sought clearance to travel to Singapore from April 20 to May 4 &quot;to do a  long overdue follow-up on my angioplasty surgery.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I give my unequivocal assurance that I will return to the Philippines immediately upon completion of my medical engagement and remain accessible for any urgent legislative matters during this period,&quot; he said. </p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman later released a copy of its request for a precautionary travel ban against Romualdez, citing a preliminary finding of probable cause in an alleged P56-billion kickback scheme linked to flood control projects.</p><p>In a verified ex-parte application filed before the Sandiganbayan, state prosecutors sought a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) to prevent Romualdez from leaving the country.</p><p>Following a raffle, the case was assigned to the Seventh Division of the anti-graft court, chaired by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17767629197321776762917598.png" style="width:300px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>The request, signed by Deputy Special Prosecutor Omar Sagadal, described Romualdez as having an &quot;exceptionally high&quot; probability of flight.</p><p>&quot;The Office of the Ombudsman is filing the instant Application on the basis of its findings and upon receiving information that the respondent may depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution for charges that will likely be filed against them,&quot; it read. </p><p>The request is anchored on a complaint-affidavit filed by the Ombudsman’s Special Panel of Investigators on April 20, which cited public statements by former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co that allegedly pointed to Romualdez as the &quot;mastermind&quot; of the scheme.</p><p>Co had previously alleged that money was regularly delivered to residences linked to Romualdez in Forbes Park, Makati.</p><p>The request also cited testimonies presented during Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, including the sworn statement of alleged former Philippine Marines members and Orly Guteza, which also described the alleged delivery of cash to Romualdez.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>AMLC FREEZE ORDER </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Remulla also said the Ombudsman had asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to issue a freeze order on Romualdez’s assets. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/6/ombudsman-preparing-plunder-raps-vs-romualdez-escudero-over-national-budget-issues-1447">Ombudsman preparing plunder raps vs Romualdez, Escudero over national budget issues</a></div><p>“We are waiting for AMLC to file a freeze order on Martin Romualdez. We already endorsed a complaint to them. We are waiting for the Romualdez case to start rolling,” Remulla told reporters in a press briefing.</p><p>Fajardo noted that under law, the AMLC should file an application before the Court of Appeals before any freeze order could be issued. </p><p>&quot;As of this time,  we have received no official notice of any such application application or order. Any statement suggesting that a freeze order is imminent remains speculative,” Fajardo said.</p><p>Earlier this month, Remulla said his office was preparing plunder raps against Romualdez and former Senate president Chiz Escudero in connection to the national budget and the flood control issue.</p><p>But Fajardo noted that &quot;there is no filed charge before the Office of the Ombudsman or any court&quot; yet.</p><p>&quot;Statements about cases ‘being prepared’ do not equate to an actual prosecution. We urge caution against drawing conclusions from incomplete or unofficial information. Rep. Romualdez has consistently respected legal processes and will continue to do so,” he added.</p><div><strong>– With reports from Job Manahan, Agatha Gregorio, and Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/01jJDXAlB7o?si=DZv8KUGi9Qyet2-L" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez secured clearance from the House of Representatives to travel to Singapore, his lawyer clarified Tuesday, following comments from the Office of Ombudsman.</p>

Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez secured clearance from the House of Representatives to travel to Singapore, his lawyer clarified Tuesday, following comments from the Office of Ombudsman.

Romualdez gets House OK for Singapore trip despite Ombudsman remark — lawyer

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Romualdez gets House OK for Singapore trip despite Ombudsman remark — lawyer

ABS-CBN News

Published April 21, 2026 04:00 PM PHT

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Updated April 21, 2026 05:56 PM PHT

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Ombudsman

Office of the Ombudsman

Martin Romualdez

Jesus Crispin Remulla

flood control scandal

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