Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Members of the 20th Congress of the Lower House are currently casting their votes for the next Speaker of the House, with Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino 'Bojie' Dy III poised to take over the chamber’s leadership. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Vivienne Gulla

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/177691099894620250917-house-of-rep-romualdez-steps-down-MT18.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>— Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez has not left the country following the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of a precautionary hold departure order against him, his spokesperson said Thursday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/23/sandiganbayan-blocks-romualdez-s-departure-from-ph-0039">Sandiganbayan blocks Romualdez’s departure from PH</a></div><p>“We categorically clarify: Rep. Romualdez is in the Philippines and has not left the country. Any report or insinuation that he has fled is false and irresponsible,” Romualdez’s lawyer and spokesperson Ade Fajardo said in a statement.</p><p>Romualdez was blocked from leaving the country after the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday issued a precautionary hold departure (PHDO) order against him as he faces investigation over an alleged kickback scheme involving flood control projects.</p><p>The anti-graft court’s Seventh Division, chaired by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna, granted the Office of the Ombudsman’s application for a PHDO after conducting a hearing on the same day.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LEGAL REMEDIES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The camp of Romualdez plans to question the Sandiganbayan’s precautionary hold departure order.</p><p>“We will avail of all appropriate legal remedies to question the issuance of this order before the proper forum,” Fajardo said.</p><p>“Rep. Romualdez remains committed to facing these allegations squarely,” he added.</p><p>Fajardo added that his client followed the proper process in seeking a travel authority for a medical check up in Singapore, which was supposed to have been effective beginning last April 20 until May 4.</p><p>“Rep. Romualdez followed the proper process... Unfortunately, this legitimate act has been twisted to create a prejudicial narrative that he intended to flee,” Fajardo said.  <strong>— With reports from Kaxandra Salonga and Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HW5ydhB5r0Q?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JXx0WnzWBZU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez has not left the country following the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of a precautionary hold departure order against him, his spokesperson said Thursday.</p>

Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez has not left the country following the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of a precautionary hold departure order against him, his spokesperson said Thursday.

​Romualdez still in PH as camp plans to question hold departure order

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​Romualdez still in PH as camp plans to question hold departure order

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 23, 2026 10:24 AM PHT

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Updated April 23, 2026 10:43 AM PHT

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Martin Romualdez

sandiganbayan

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Romualdez still in PH as camp plans to question hold departure order

Romualdez still in PH as camp plans to question hold departure order