Sandiganbayan suspends former speaker Martin Romualdez for 90 days over pending plunder case
The Sandiganbayan 3rd Division has ordered a 90-day suspension of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez while his plunder case is pending.
By YouScoop Desk · · 1 min read
The gist
- The Sandiganbayan 3rd Division ordered a 90-day suspension of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
- The suspension is pendente lite, meaning it applies while his plunder case linked to the flood control scandal is still pending.
- Romualdez's camp says the suspension does not amount to a finding of guilt.
Why it matters
This is a major development in the flood control scandal, which has drawn wide public attention. The order affects a former House speaker who, according to GMA News, is currently detained on the plunder case.
The Sandiganbayan 3rd Division has ordered the suspension of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez for 90 days. According to the court's resolution, as reported by Rappler, the suspension runs from the date the resolution is received.
The order is described as a suspension pendente lite, which means it applies while the case is still pending. Romualdez is facing a plunder case linked to the flood control scandal. Daily Tribune reported the case involves P7.4 billion, and GMA News says he is currently detained on the plunder charge.
What Romualdez's camp is saying
Romualdez's camp has said that the 90-day suspension is not a finding of guilt. ABS-CBN and Inquirer carried the same statement from his side.
The camp's position is that a suspension order does not decide the outcome of the plunder case. The case itself has not been decided, and the allegations against Romualdez remain allegations before the court.
The sources do not say how the suspension will be carried out in practice. They also do not say when the Sandiganbayan is expected to rule on the plunder case itself. For now, the next steps in the case are not yet known.
The story is a reminder of how far the flood control scandal has reached, with a former House speaker now at the center of a court order. Public trust in how these cases are handled depends on the courts following due process, and that process is still unfolding.
What do you think this means for the flood control cases moving forward?
Background
Martin Romualdez is a former speaker of the House of Representatives. He is facing a plunder case tied to the flood control scandal, which Daily Tribune reported involves P7.4 billion. GMA News reports he is currently detained on that case.
Sources
This story is written in our own words from reports by GMA News, Inquirer, Rappler, Philstar.com, Manila Bulletin and The Manila Times. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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