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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan issues precautionary HDO vs Martin Romualdez

Sandiganbayan issues precautionary HDO vs Martin Romualdez

Published Apr 23, 2026 09:36 am
Former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (PPAB)
Former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (PPAB)
The Sandiganbayan has issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO)  against former House speaker Martin G. Romualdez, which means that he would be barred from traveling abroad. 
The order was issued on Wednesday, April 22, on request of the Office of the Ombudsman amid the ongoing investigation in relation to the flood control mess.
A PHDO is a court-issued order that prevents a respondent in a criminal complaint being investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Office of the Ombudsman from leaving the Philippines until the conclusion of the investigation.
Should the investigation result in the filing of a criminal case before the court, the DOJ or the Office of the Ombudsman can plead for a court-issued hold departure order (HDO) against the accused.
In the PHDO issued by the anti-graft court’s seventh division, the Sandiganbayan said “there is probable cause to believe that respondent (Romualdez) will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of crime/s being charged against him."
The court ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) “to hold the departure from the Philippines of the above-named respondent and to include his name in the Hold Departure List of the said bureau.”
Charges of plunder and money laundering are among the complaints filed against Romualdez.
The charges are now under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The plea for a PHDO was filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last April 21. A day after, the Sandiganbayan conducted a hearing with Assistant Ombudsman Nellie Golez and Prosecutor Joshua Tan as witnesses.
The Sandiganbayan was told that Romualdez “is a flight risk, has means to travel and leave fast, and has access to a diplomatic passport.”
Last April 6, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said that Romualdez and former Senate president Francis “Chiz” Escudero will be charged with plunder before the Sandiganbayan for their alleged involvement in the multi-billion-peso flood control “anomalies.”
Remulla said the case will be filed in May this year.  He did not give the details of the charges.
Last April 21, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said his office is waiting for the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to file a freeze order on the assets of Romualdez for alleged money laundering.
Remulla also said the Office of the Ombudsman has already endorsed a freeze order before the AMLC.
"We're waiting for the Romualdez cases to start rolling, and the first case would be about money laundering," he added.

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Martin Romualdez Sandiganbayan HOLD DEPARTURE ORDER flood control
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