MANILA — Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez has no surgery or invasive medical procedure scheduled, his doctors told the Sandiganbayan, sharpening the dispute over whether his health condition warrants continued confinement in a private hospital instead of detention at the New Quezon City Jail.
Dr. Rosalio Torres, coordinator of Romualdez’s medical team, made the admission Friday as the Sandiganbayan Third Division continued hearings on the former Speaker’s request to remain detained at Cardinal Santos Medical Center while facing a P7.4-billion plunder case.
Asked by prosecutors whether Romualdez had any immediate surgery or invasive treatment scheduled, Torres replied, “None at the moment.”
Torres, however, rejected the suggestion that the absence of a scheduled procedure meant Romualdez faced no serious medical threat requiring hospital care.
“I do not agree with the statement, based on the evaluation and recommendation as discussed with my consulting specialists, cardiologist, neurologist, and psychologist,” Torres said.
Cardiologist Dr. Rody Sy also testified that Romualdez would have to be brought to a “hospital with angiographic facilities within one hour” should he suffer a heart attack.
The medical testimony is central to the Sandiganbayan’s determination of whether Romualdez should remain under hospital detention or be transferred to the regular detention facility earlier designated by the court.
The Sandiganbayan had ordered Romualdez committed as a detention prisoner at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas. He was arrested on September 7 while confined at Cardinal Santos after the anti-graft court issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the plunder case.
Romualdez subsequently asked the court to allow him to remain under hospital custody, citing several medical conditions, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ailments and a history of angioplasty.
The Office of the Ombudsman opposed the request and sought an independent evaluation of Romualdez by government doctors.
Prosecutors have argued that if his medical conditions can be properly managed without hospitalization, the former Speaker should be transferred to the regular detention facility.
The court also heard testimony from Dr. Kurt Sibayan, Cardinal Santos’ admitting physician, who clarified his role in Romualdez’s admission and the preparation of his medical records.
Sibayan said he did not personally examine Romualdez because the former Speaker was already being attended to by his physicians.
“The attending physicians are already there. It wasn’t necessary for me to be there [to examine him],” Sibayan said when questioned by Romualdez’s lawyer, Judd Roy III.
Roy asked whether Sibayan had been instructed to stay away from Romualdez’s room.
“No,” Sibayan replied.
Sibayan prepared Romualdez’s clinical abstract at around 8:15 p.m. on September 7, several hours after the former Speaker was admitted and on the same day the Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants against him and his three co-accused.
According to Sibayan, the clinical abstract was verified by Romualdez’s attending physicians, including Sy, Torres and neurologist Dr. Rogelio Libarres, as well as hospitalist Dr. Kevin Yahot.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Ronald Moreno, however, noted that Torres did not sign the medical abstract, raising questions about the document’s reliability.
Sibayan responded that the court could seek clarification directly from Romualdez’s attending physicians.
The case stems from the Ombudsman’s P7.4-billion plunder complaint against Romualdez, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Romualdez’s former personal assistant Joselyn Tragua Serenio, and Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp. president Felicito Cristobal Guevarra.
They were accused of involvement in an alleged kickback scheme involving flood control projects.
Romualdez’s legal team has denied wrongdoing and maintained that the former Speaker is prepared to face the allegations in court.
The Sandiganbayan is evaluating the medical evidence before deciding whether Romualdez may remain at Cardinal Santos under hospital detention or must be transferred to the New Quezon City Jail as earlier ordered./PN
