Romualdez camp: 90-day suspension not a finding of guilt
Speaker Martin Romualdez delivers his speech as he steps down from his post as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — The camp of Leyte 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez asserted that the Sandiganbayan’s 90-day preventive suspension order against him does not constitute a finding of guilt in his plunder case.
Romualdez’s counsel Ade Fajardo said the Sandiganbayan acknowledged that the former Speaker’s alleged participation in plunder and receipt of supposed kickbacks remain matters to be established during trial.
Fajardo added that the November 10 resolution merely determined that the criminal Information was legally sufficient and that preventive suspension was mandatory under the law.
“Hindi hatol ng pagkakasala ang suspension. Mismong korte ang nagsabing kailangan pang patunayan ang mga paratang. Hindi sapat ang akusasyon—kailangan ng ebidensya,” Fajardo said in a statement.
“The court has not found Martin guilty of plunder. It has not established that he received a single peso in illegal commissions or kickbacks,” he added.
“An allegation is not evidence. A valid Information is not a conviction. The prosecution must still prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Fajardo noted.
He said Romualdez respects the court’s ruling and will evaluate available legal remedies while continuing to assert his innocence.