Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez should receive treatment consistent with established legal procedures following his transfer to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas, Malacañang said Tuesday.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said she had not discussed with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. the transfer of Romualdez to the new detention facility, but reiterated the administration’s position that the law and due process must be observed.

“Hindi ko pa po nakausap patungkol si Pangulo diyan. So, hindi ko mabibigay mismo ‘yung personal na pakiramdam ng Pangulo sa paglilipat kay dating Speaker Romualdez sa Quezon City Jail (I have not yet spoken to the President about this, so I cannot give you the President’s personal thoughts on the transfer of former Speaker Romualdez to the Quezon City Jail),” she said.

“Pero, in general, nadinig naman po natin kung ano naman po talaga ang nararapat, kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas, anong sinasabi ng proseso. Iyon lang naman din po ang masasabi ng pamahalaang ito, ng administrasyong ito (But, in general, we have heard what is proper, what the law says and what the process requires. That is all this government, this administration can say),” Castro added.

Castro emphasized that all accused persons should receive equal treatment regardless of their status or position.

“Kung nakagawa man ng mali sa taumbayan, kailangan lang din pong pantay-pantay kung ano po ang naranasan ng mga akusado. So wala pong dapat na special treatment (If they have done something wrong against the people, accused persons should be treated equally. So, there should be no special treatment),” she said.

The Palace official also reminded the public that Romualdez, a cousin of the President, is presumed innocent until the court’s ruling becomes final.

She noted that some accused persons may remain in detention because of the nature of the cases they face and the court’s orders concerning bail. Their detention, however, does not remove their right to due process.

“Hangga’t wala pa po kasing naibibigay na panghuhusga with finality ang isang korte, ang presumption pa rin po niyan ay inosente sila. Nagkataon lang po na mga kasong kinakaharap nila ay no bail, no bail recommended ang ibinibigay at sinasabi at pinaguutos ng korte (As long as a court has not issued a final judgment, they are still presumed innocent. It just so happens that the cases they are facing are ones in which bail is either not allowed or not recommended, as determined and ordered by the court),” Castro said.

Asked whether the Palace would encourage the Bureau of Jail and Management and Penology (BJMP) to release additional photos of Romualdez inside the jail facility to address concerns about possible special treatment, Castro said the matter rests with the jail authorities.

The Sandiganbayan on Monday ordered the transfer of Romualdez from the Philippine General Hospital to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory after doctors said the lawmaker is in stable condition and does not require special medical monitoring.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman filed a plunder case before the Sandiganbayan against Romualdez, former House Appropriations Committee chairperson Zaldy Co, and two private individuals for allegedly accumulating PHP7.4 billion in ill-gotten wealth through kickbacks, “commitments,” and other schemes involving government infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, during the same briefing, Castro said the Philippines’ membership in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure would support the government’s efforts to ensure that infrastructure projects are designed and built based on scientific assessments and the climate conditions the country may face in the coming years.

Castro said Marcos wants roads, bridges and other public infrastructure to be built with climate risks in mind.

“Ang mga bridges, ang mga roads ay dapat na isinasagawa na naaayon na sa science at naaayon na po sa klima na maaari nating maranasan ngayon at sa mga susunod na taon dahil ang mga maaaring imprastruktura noon ay hindi na siya fit, hindi na siya tugma sa maaari nating maranasan dala ng climate change (Bridges and roads should be built in accordance with science and the climate conditions we may experience now and in the coming years, because infrastructure built in the past may no longer be suitable or adequate for the conditions we may face due to climate change),” she said.

Transfer To QC Jail

In a related development, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Romualdez was transferred to the jail facility on Monday night following a Sandiganbayan order.

He said in a press briefing held in Camp Crame that Romualdez’s room, which he shares with three other persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), is not air-conditioned but equipped with exhaust fans that allow air to circulate.

BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera said the former House leader arrived at the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory at around 10:49 p.m. on Monday.

He also pointed out that the BJMP had not received any security threat, untoward incident, or negative reports with regard to Romualdez’s incarceration.

DILG Chief Set To Leave For France Soon

Remulla previously said he would soon travel to France to make representation on the former lawmaker and fugitive Zaldy Co’s reported bid for asylum.

He confirmed that Co is in France and is seeking asylum, adding that his job “is to convince our counterparts that after stealing USD1 billion from a very poor country like the Philippines, he does not deserve asylum and he needs to be brought back to the Philippines.’’

When pressed for the date of his scheduled trip to France, Remulla said he has already been in contact with French authorities to coordinate his visit and may be heading there within the next 10 days.

“Kapag na set ko na lahat ng appointments, I will announce it (trip to France) to you and I will update you (If all the appointments are set, I will announce it to you and I will update you),’’ Remulla told reporters.

He said his trip to France is aimed at requesting for a “red notice’’ from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) against Co.

“Hopefully, it’ll be issued. It’s not been issued yet. So we’re going there to make sure that it’s issued. That’s on my part. That’s on law enforcement’s part,” Remulla said.

The DILG chief noted having not yet received any surrender feelers from Co’s camp.

Remulla also clarified that it was a mere coincidence that his brother, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, is also going to France but on a different flight and mission. (With a report from Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)