Romualdez remains inside QC jail—BJMP

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) denied allegations that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was secretly taken out of the Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory. 🎥: BJMP

MANILA (UPDATE) — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) denied allegations that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was secretly taken out of the Quezon City Jail-Male Dormitory.

In a statement on Wednesday, the BJMP said initial verification of CCTV footage confirmed Romualdez’s presence inside the facility on November 4, 2026.

According to the BJMP spokesperson JSupt. Jayrex Bustinera, no power interruption or disruption in CCTV monitoring was recorded at the jail.

This followed claims that Romualdez was allegedly being taken out of the jail through a backdoor staircase while electricity throughout the facility was switched off to prevent CCTV cameras from recording his movements.

The source also allegedly urged investigators to check the jail’s logbook for records of power interruptions that supposedly coincided with Romualdez’s movements.

However, Bustinera said there had been no power or CCTV interruption at the facility.

He also clarified that the jail has only one gate, located at the main entrance, and has no backdoor exit.

“No power interruption. No CCTV interruption. No movement outside jail. No backdoor exit (isa lang gate doon located sa main entrance),” he said.

The BJMP said its chief, JDIR Efren Nemeño, ordered an immediate investigation on November 3 following the allegations of unauthorized movements and possible disabling of CCTV security systems.

The investigation is ongoing, with the BJMP saying it is willing to cooperate with any probe by other government agencies.

The bureau stressed that all persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are subject to the same custodial rules and that any movement outside the jail requires a proper court order.

It also assured the public that no PDL would receive special privileges regardless of position or status.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Wednesday ordered the warden and medical officer of Quezon City Jail – Male Dormitory to testify on the detention of Romualdez on Nov. 5, Thursday.

The third division, which handles Romualdez’s plunder case, directed jail warden Superintendent Maria Lourdes Pacion and medical officer Henry Fabro to personally attend at 8:30 a.m. for a hearing.

The anti-graft court’s order came following reports that Romualdez sneaked out of jail.

Romualdez has been in detention at the Quezon City Jail – Male Dormitory since September as he faces a plunder charge over the P7.4-billion kickback scheme from government projects.