Apart from timing, what else is ‘unusual’ about Romualdez’s hospital confinement?

EX-HOUSE LEADER. Speaker Martin Romualdez graces the first meeting of the Visayas Caucus of the 20th Congress in the House of Representatives on August 7, 2025. House of Representatives Romualdez’s admitting physician reveals that he did not see nor examine the former House speaker when he was confined on September 7 because the attending physicians barred him from entering the room Former House speaker Martin Romualdez was hospitalized on September 7 after an arrest warrant for plunder was issued against him, but his condition was deemed a non-emergency by his admitting physician. Dr. Kurt Allen Sibayan testified that Romualdez did not require hospital confinement, and the medical certificate did not specify a need for recuperation time. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. Apparently, the condition of former House speaker Martin Romualdez was not an emergency case when he rushed himself to the hospital on September 7, the day Sandiganbayan 3rd Division issued an arrest warrant against him for plunder. Dr. Kurt Allen Sibayan, Romualdez’s admitting physician, said this in court on Thursday, September 10, during the hearing on the former speaker’s motion for hospital confinement. Rappler saw a copy of Romualdez’s medical certificate, which did not indicate the number of days the former speaker needed for recuperation. On the floor, Office of the Ombudsman Deputy Special Prosecutor Omar Sagadal reiterated this point twice: Romualdez doesn’t need confinement. “There’s nothing here that says the patient requires confinement,” said Sagadal. Romualdez is currently confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City after admitting himself at around 4 pm on Monday. He gave a list of diseases, including hypertension and heart problems. He was served the arrest warrant by the Philippine National Police on Monday, but he has yet to be transferred to a jail facility because of his condition. During the hearing, Sibayan also revealed that he prepared the abstract, but did not see nor examine Romualdez. The physician said he was told that resident doctors were not allowed to go inside the room. It was attending physician Dr. Rosalio Torres (hematologist), Romualdez’s hospital “team manager,” who told Sibayan this. “Residents are not allowed inside the room,” said Sibayan. Asked whether it was unusual for a resident doctor to be barred from a room, Sibayan answered in the affirmative. According to Sibayan, apart from Torres, two other physicians made separate diagnoses of Romualdez — cardiologist Rody Sy and neurologist Rogelio Libarres. He said he was only tasked with adding the diagnoses to the medical abstract. On Thursday, the 3rd Division transferred Romualdez’s custody from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. After the resolution on his request for hospital confinement, the former speaker will be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas. The court also scheduled Romualdez’s arraignment on September 7, the phase where he will be read his case and asked to enter either a guilty or not-guilty plea. A clearer timeline Echoing what Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla had said, the doctors confirmed that Romualdez checked in at around 4 pm. CIDG Metro Manila chief Police Colonel John Guiagui said the former speaker has moved to another hospital room, which is being guarded by law enforcers. Torres said on Thursday that months ago, staff of Romualdez asked him if he would be willing to manage the former speaker’s hospital care. He accepted, so he formed a team of specialists to take care of Romualdez. On September 7, the doctor said he received a call from Romualdez’s staff between 9 am and 10 am because the congressman complained of chest pains. Due to the former speaker’s history of heart problems, Torres immediately suggested confinement for Romualdez so he could be examined. But why was Romualdez confined immediately, bypassing the emergency room? Torres explained that, in consultation with Sy, they advised the former speaker to be admitted for confinement and evaluation. And if Romualdez had already complained of chest pains that morning, why did they wait until 4 pm to admit him? “[Maybe] he wanted my advice,” said Torres. Romualdez is in a private room and not under intensive care. Torres said his patient needed “active monitoring.” “It can be an impending heart attack, unstable angina,” said the physician. Further, Torres said it was “high risk” to transport Romualdez because of the possibility of a heart attack. This was raised repeatedly because Remulla had earlier said the former speaker should be transferred to the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame — and, of course, given the court’s commitment order for Romualdez, to Payatas. The 3rd Division will continue the hearing on Friday, September 11, when more of Romualdez’s doctors are expected to take the witness stand. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading