The Office of the Ombudsman has requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to investigate the bank accounts of former House speaker Martin Romualdez as part of an ongoing probe into alleged money laundering.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla confirmed during a press briefing that their office had already sent a request to the AMLC to examine Romualdez’s financial records. The request includes efforts to secure a freeze order covering the former House speaker’s assets.
According to Remulla, Romualdez is currently under investigation for alleged money laundering. Authorities are now waiting for the issuance of the freeze order that would restrict access to his assets once approved.
Meanwhile, Romualdez’s request to travel to Singapore was denied. The former House speaker had sought permission to leave the country to undergo angioplasty surgery.
Earlier, Romualdez wrote to House Speaker Bojie Dy and the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting approval for his planned travel to Singapore for medical treatment.
However, Remulla said an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) had already been issued against Romualdez, preventing him from leaving the country.
The Ombudsman added that coordination with relevant agencies is ongoing as authorities continue their investigation into the alleged financial activities linked to the case.
As of now, officials said they are awaiting the formal release of the freeze order against the former House speaker while the AMLC continues its review of the requested financial records.
