Sandigan orders Quezon City jail transfer for Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines - With assurance by doctors that there was "no imperative need" for continued hospital confinement for former speaker Martin Romualdez, the Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered yesterday his transfer to the New Quezon City Jail.

The Sandiganbayan issued the order after hearing testimonies from doctors from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on the results of an independent medical examination performed on the lawmaker over the weekend.

Within the decade, Romualdez has only a three percent chance of having a heart attack every year, the PGH doctors said, adding that his response to a stress test was normal.

Romualdez had sought continued confinement at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center following his arrest.

Against his private doctors' advice, the Sandiganbayan ordered on Sept. 7 his transfer to PGH for an independent medical examination.