MANILA— The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to submit a comprehensive report within 48 hours explaining the authorization of a personal aide inside the detention cell of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

In a statement dated November 6, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the arrangement warrants immediate scrutiny, including an accounting of the legal and administrative basis for allowing the aide inside the cell.

He ordered the BJMP leadership to document the circumstances surrounding the authorization, identify the officials and personnel involved, and establish whether applicable laws and regulations were followed.

The report must be supported by relevant records and documentation, with Remulla warning that incomplete findings and unsupported explanations would not be accepted.

He also directed the BJMP to preserve all relevant records and ensure submission within the prescribed 48-hour period.

Any violations established through the investigation will be addressed through appropriate administrative proceedings and, when warranted, criminal prosecution, subject to due process, the DILG chief said.

Remulla stressed that jail regulations must be enforced equally across detention facilities, regardless of an individual’s position, political influence or personal connections.

The directive follows reports and allegations questioning the privileges granted to Romualdez while detained at the New Quezon City Jail – Male Dormitory in Payatas, Quezon City.

The DILG chief reiterated that jail officials must exercise their authority strictly within the bounds of the law and that the department would enforce accountability within its ranks.

“No special treatment. No selective enforcement. No one is above the law,” Remulla said.