NEWS: Doctors differ as Romualdez is committed to QC jail | Sept. 11, 2026

0:00Doctors differ as Ram Waldez is committed to QCJL. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, VJMP, on Thursday took custody of former speaker Martin Ram Waldez at Cardinal Santos Medical Center after the Sandigan-Bion Third Division ordered him committed to the new Kesson City Jail in Piotas. He remains at the private San Juan Hospital, however, while the anti-graphed court decides on his petition for continued hospital arrest. VJMP spokesman Jacep. Jarek's Joseph Bustinner assured the public that Ram Waldez will be accorded the same treatment and privileges as other persons deprived of liberty, with no VIP or special treatment. Upon medical clearance for discharge and upon order of the court, he will be transferred to the Kesson City Jail Mail Dormatory in Piotas, Kesson City. As of Thursday, the anti-graphed court had yet to issue a decision on Ram Waldez's motion for continued hospital arrest. Bustinnerus said the Jail facility has an in-house physician who will coordinate with Ram Waldez's doctor. In the spirit of transparency, the VJMP also welcomes an independent team of doctors to check on the lawmaker. We want to be fair to everyone.

1:04Bustinnera told reporters in a phone interview. Jail Room Ready. Bustinnerus set a 47-50 square meter room with five double deck beds, two bathrooms and two electric fans, is now ready to take in the lawmaker. Each cell can take 10 inmates. They have been prepared for a long time now. We have already identified cells for that. As for the exact cell placement, that depends, just like with those who came before, they undergo booking and commitment procedures, as well as risk assessments. Whatever ideal or recommended cell comes out of that will be followed, Bustinnerus said in Filipino. He said they have yet to decide who will be as cellmates, as room assignments depend on the dates of commitment to the jail. We also have health considerations, such as who need closer access to the infirmary or clinic, which we also take into account, he added. Doctors disagree. Doctors treating Rommwaldes gave differing accounts before the Sanigan-Bion on Thursday over the circumstances of his admission to Cardinal Santos Medical Center, as the court scrutinized his continued hospital confinement. Dr. Kurt Allen Sivayan, the hospital's

2:06admitting physician, testified that he was not allowed to examine Rommwaldes after the former speaker arrived at the hospital at around 4pm on September 7. We were advised that we were not allowed inside the patient's room, Sivayan told the court, identifying attending physicians Dr. Rody Sion, Dr. Rosalio Torres as the doctors who relayed the instruction. Sivayan testified that Rommwaldes' condition was not an emergency case, but agreed with associate Justice Ronald Moreno that the arrangement in which he was admitted directly to a hospital room without passing through the emergency room was unusual. Sivayan added that Rommwaldes did not pass through the emergency room but was brought directly to a hospital room despite complaining of chest pain. Although designated as the admitting physician, Sivayan said he was only asked to prepare Rommwaldes' medical abstract on September 9 and was not allowed to enter the room. Torres later took the witness stand and contradicted Sivayan's testimony, saying Sivayan had seen Rommwaldes and had relayed the former speaker's medical condition to Torres. Torres testified that a member of Rommwaldes' staff had informed him that the former speaker

3:07complained of chest pains at around 9am on September 7. I advised that he be confined to look into this problem, Torres said. He maintained that Rommwaldes should remain confined at Cardinal Santos because he was at high risk of possible heart attack. In case of emergency, he would have an hour to be treated. We believe he may not be afforded that one hour, if he is to be moved to a new facility, Torres told the court. When Moreno asked what required Rommwaldes' continued confinement, Torres cited unstable angina with underlying coronary disease, which he described as an impending heart attack.