The Sandiganbayan's Third Division on Monday issued warrants of arrest and a hold departure order against former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez and three co-accused after finding probable cause for plunder — a non-bailable offense that carries up to life imprisonment.
The court's orders, both dated September 7, 2026, and issued in Quezon City, came after the Office of the Ombudsman formally filed the case before the anti-graft court on the same day. The case was raffled to the Third Division, which acted on it almost immediately.
Four Accused Named in Plunder Case
Named in the arrest warrants and hold departure order are Romualdez; former Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy "Zaldy" Salcedo Co; Joselyn Tragua Serenio, identified in news reports as Romualdez's personal assistant; and Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, reported to be the president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp.
Co has been reported at large as of Monday. The three remaining accused have not been reported as having surrendered or been taken into custody as of the time the court's orders were issued.
Ombudsman Indictment Preceded Court Filing
According to the minutes of the Third Division's proceedings, the Office of the Ombudsman indicted all four respondents for plunder in a resolution dated September 4, 2026 — three days before the information was filed before the Sandiganbayan.
After reviewing the Ombudsman's resolution, its supporting documents, and the submitted case records, the court determined that probable cause exists pursuant to Section 5, Rule 112 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure. On that basis, the court directed the issuance of arrest warrants and a hold departure order against all four accused.
The minutes were approved by Associate Justice Karl B. Miranda, who chairs the Third Division, and Associate Justices Ronald B. Moreno and Fritz Bryn Anthony M. Delos Santos.
Bureau of Immigration Directed to Bar Departures
In its hold departure order, the court directed the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to bar all four accused from leaving the Philippines and to enter their names in the bureau's Hold Departure List.
The court invoked its inherent power to use all means necessary to carry its orders into effect — specifically to preserve its jurisdiction over the case and over the persons of the accused, so they remain at all times amenable to its writs and processes. The order cited Section 6 of Rule 135 and Section 23 of Rule 114 of the Rules of Court, as well as the Supreme Court ruling in Santiago v. Vasquez, 217 SCRA 633.
Monday's Order Distinct from April Travel Ban
Monday's hold departure order is separate from an earlier precautionary hold departure order the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division issued against Romualdez in April, which was sought by the Ombudsman while the case was still under preliminary investigation.
Romualdez moved to lift that earlier order; the Seventh Division denied the motion in a resolution promulgated in June. A precautionary order applies before charges are filed. Monday's order follows the formal filing of the information and the Third Division's own independent finding of probable cause.
₱7.44 Billion in Alleged Commissions and Kickbacks
Ombudsman prosecutors have accused the respondents of receiving at least ₱7.44 billion in commissions, kickbacks, and other financial benefits on at least 15 separate occasions between 2022 and 2025. The alleged proceeds were reportedly sourced from contractors and other parties with interests in flood control, infrastructure, and other government projects.
Investigators have separately placed the broader alleged accumulation of ill-gotten wealth at roughly ₱56 billion over the same period. The case is docketed as E-SB-26-CRM-0074 and charges plunder under Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7080, as amended.
Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., resigned as House Speaker in September 2025. He has denied masterminding any kickback scheme. His counsel, lawyer Ade Fajardo, has said the former Speaker respects the court and is prepared to face the allegations.
PNP-CIDG Awaiting Warrant Copy; Detention Likely if Arrested
The Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Monday afternoon that it had not yet received a copy of the arrest warrant for Romualdez, but stated it would implement the warrant once issued to the agency.
Because plunder is a non-bailable offense under Philippine law, any of the accused taken into custody would remain detained while trial proceedings continue. The filing of charges, however, is not a finding of guilt — prosecutors must still prove the case at trial, and all accused are presumed innocent under the law.
By the Numbers
- ₱7.44 billion — minimum alleged commissions and kickbacks received by the accused
- ₱56 billion — broader alleged ill-gotten wealth accumulated over the same period, per investigators
- 15 — number of occasions on which the alleged financial benefits were received
- 2022–2025 — period covered by the alleged offenses
- 4 — number of accused named in the arrest warrants and hold departure order
- September 4, 2026 — date of the Ombudsman's indictment resolution
- September 7, 2026 — date the case was filed and the court's orders were issued
Why This Matters
The Sandiganbayan's issuance of arrest warrants and a hold departure order against a sitting congressman and former Speaker of the House marks a significant development in one of the largest plunder cases filed before the anti-graft court in recent years. With plunder being non-bailable and carrying a penalty of up to life imprisonment, the accused face the prospect of detention pending a full trial if taken into custody. The Bureau of Immigration has been formally directed to prevent all four accused from leaving the country, ensuring the court retains jurisdiction as the case moves to trial.
Photo credit: Photo from Sandiganbayan / Philippine judiciary public records