Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

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/1780461939558177683559346420250917-house-of-rep-romualdez-steps-down-MT18.webp" 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/File</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>— The Sandiganbayan has denied a motion filed by former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to lift the precautionary travel ban issued against him as he faces an ongoing investigation into the alleged flood control scam.</p><p>In a resolution promulgated on June 1, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division found no merit in Romualdez’s arguments that the Precautionary Hold Departure Order (PHDO) violated his constitutional right to travel and was based on mere speculation.</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>The court, chaired by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna, also noted that Romualdez’s motion lacked verification. </p><p>“A pleading without verification is treated as unsigned. An unsigned pleading produces no legal effect, such that the party may be deemed not to have filed a pleading at all. Accordingly, this defect alone warrants the denial of the instant Motion,” the resolution read.</p><p>In April, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division granted the Office of the Ombudsman’s application for a precautionary hold departure (PHDO) against Romualdez as he faces investigation over an alleged kickback scheme involving flood control projects.</p><p>No formal charges have yet been filed against the former House leader.</p><p>In his appeal, Romualdez argued that the complaint lacked credible evidence linking him to the crimes and called the allegations &quot;purely on speculation and conjecture.&quot;</p><p>He stated that the prosecution&#x27;s theory relied on a sweeping assumption that he exercised influence over the budget process and “supposedly instructed former Rep. Zaldy S. Co... to collect and transmit funds purportedly derived from flood control projects&quot;.</p><p>He also sought a temporary lifting of the travel restriction for an &quot;overdue&quot; medical consultation in Singapore following an angioplasty.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/21/-baka-hindi-bumalik-ombudsman-did-not-respond-favorably-on-romualdez-s-request-1600">Romualdez gets House OK for Singapore trip despite Ombudsman remark — lawyer</a></div><p>Romualdez further argued that his continuous public service since 2007 proves he is not a flight risk.</p><p>However, the Sandiganbayan ruled that a PHDO only requires a finding of probable cause, not absolute certainty of guilt.</p><p>&quot;A finding of probable cause needs only to rest on evidence showing that more likely than not a crime has been committed and there is enough reason to believe that it was committed by the accused… it is not a pronouncement of guilt,” the resolution read.</p><p>The court noted that Romualdez was repeatedly named as among those allegedly involved in the flood control controversy, considering his then position as Speaker of the House.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/ombudsman-says-preparing-grandest-case-vs-romualdez-1425">Ombudsman says preparing case vs Romualdez over &#x27;grandest&#x27; conspiracy to defraud gov&#x27;t</a></div><p>It also rejected Romualdez&#x27;s medical justification, noting that he failed to submit medical records, an abstract, or a confirmed schedule from his physician in Singapore.</p><p>The court added that because of the severity of the potential charges, which include non-bailable offenses, the lawmaker has a clear motive to evade prosecution.</p><p>&quot;Given the gravity of the allegations and the severe penalties that may result, including imprisonment, fines, and forfeiture of assets, Rep. Romualdez clearly possesses sufficient motive and opportunity to evade the jurisdiction of the authorities should he be allowed to leave the country,&quot; the court ruled.</p><p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said they are preparing a money laundering case and a master case for conspiracy to defraud the national treasury, which includes a plunder charge against the former House Speaker.</p><p>In its verified ex parte application, the prosecution previously argued that Romualdez is a flight risk due to his access to a diplomatic passport, extensive international contacts, and the means to travel quickly.</p><p>The Ombudsman also described him as the alleged mastermind of the flood control kickback scheme.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/2/romualdez-ex-marines-invited-to-senate-flood-control-probe-2257">Romualdez, &#x27;ex-Marines&#x27; invited to Senate flood control probe</a></div><p>Romualdez was among the invited resource persons as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumes its investigation into the flood control scandal on Thursday.</p><div><br/></div><div><em></em><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><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/VByKmh46wbY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><em></em><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/wlegaKCph9w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division has denied former House Speaker Martin Romualdez's motion to lift his precautionary travel ban as he faces an investigation related to the flood control scandal.</p>

The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division has denied former House Speaker Martin Romualdez's motion to lift his precautionary travel ban as he faces an investigation related to the flood control scandal.

​Sandiganbayan junks Martin Romualdez bid to lift travel ban

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​Sandiganbayan junks Martin Romualdez bid to lift travel ban

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 03, 2026 12:49 PM PHT

|

Updated June 03, 2026 01:24 PM PHT

Read More:

Sandiganbayan

Martin Romualdez

travel ban

flood control

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Sandiganbayan junks Martin Romualdez bid to lift travel ban

Sandiganbayan junks Martin Romualdez bid to lift travel ban