Former House Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez. Photo courtesy of PNA.
Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez remained in the country and continued performing congressional duties despite circulating speculation about his whereabouts, according to a senior staff member from his Tacloban-based office on Friday.
The clarification was issued after online claims suggested that the former House Speaker had gone into hiding or had left the country following recent controversies.
The aide, who requested anonymity, said Romualdez had no plans to leave the country and remained in regular communication with his office, giving instructions and monitoring district concerns.
The lawmaker is currently covered by a travel restriction issued by the Sandiganbayan, following a request from the Office of the Ombudsman, which denied his earlier request to travel to Singapore for a medical checkup.
His last documented visit to his district was in the previous month, and he was not present during the April 15 visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Tacloban City.
The aide dismissed the online claims as false and politically motivated, saying the congressional office continued its operations and services for constituents across Tacloban City and eight municipalities in the district.
He added that personnel continued to attend to public requests, including Friday schedules, despite adjustments in office work arrangements.
The office also said Romualdez had denied any involvement in alleged irregular flood control projects and had ordered a review and inventory of infrastructure projects in his district, while documents related to the matter were still being compiled.