Philippines orders ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez moved to jail in $118m plunder case

14 September 2026 , 21:28

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Philippines orders ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez moved to jail in $118m plunder case

The Philippines’ anti-graft court on Monday ordered the transfer of Martin Romualdez, former House Speaker and cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., from a hospital to a regular jail a week after his arrest, OCCRP partner Rappler reported. Romualdez is accused of plunder in a 7.44-billion-peso ($118 million) case.

The transfer order follows a medical report from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) concluding that Romualdez is clinically stable and no longer requires hospitalization. He will be moved to the New Quezon City Jail, where he will be detained while hearings on his plunder charge are conducted.

Prosecutors allege that, between 2022 and 2025, Romualdez and his co-defendants amassed billions of pesos through commissions, kickbacks and bribes from contractors and other entities seeking government infrastructure work.

Sophia Martinez

World Affairs Correspondent