Martin Romualdez pleads not guilty to plunder; case moves to trial

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ARRAIGNED. Former speaker Martin Romualdez pleads not guilty to his plunder case during his arraignment at the New Quezon City Jail on Wednesday, September 16.

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MANILA, Philippines – Former speaker Martin Romualdez, cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., entered a not-guilty plea in his P7.44-billion plunder case related to the flood control mess during his arraignment before the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday, September 16.

Arraignment is the phase in criminal proceedings that happens after an arrest or surrender. The court reads the accused the case and asks them to enter either a guilty or not-guilty plea.

If the accused enters a guilty plea, the case immediately moves to conviction, usually with a lower sentence. If not guilty, then the case moves to trial, as in this case.

Romualdez was not physically present at the 3rd Division after the anti-graft court allowed him to attend online. This set-up could be invoked by the accused, as long as the court allows it.

However, the court directed its clerk to personally go to the New Quezon City Jail, where Romualdez is detained, to read the information against him. Select members of the media were also physically present during the arraignment.

Romualdez, whom the Office of the Ombudsman called the alleged “central figure” in the flood control scheme, was charged with plunder on September 7 for allegedly receiving kickbacks.

He was arrested the same day, but the police could not bring him to jail because he was confined in a hospital after he had filed a request for confinement. Within the week, Romualdez was moved from Cardinal Santos Medical Center to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

The 3rd Division ordered the PGH to conduct an independent examination of Romualdez’s condition. On September 14, PGH medical director Gerardo Legaspi said the doctors found the former speaker stable and no longer in need of confinement.

After this, the chamber ordered Romualdez’s transfer from PGH to Payatas, the designated detention facility for accused facing flood control-related cases. – Rappler.com