US cancels Martin Romualdez diplomatic A-1 and B1/B2 tourist visas, PH envoy confirms

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez confirmed on Friday, June 5, 2026 that the US Department of State had cancelled both the A-1 diplomatic visa and the B1/B2 business and tourist visa held by former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. The envoy said the revocations had taken effect weeks earlier; the State Department declined to comment publicly when asked. The cancellations land while a precautionary hold-departure order docketed as SB26PHDO0002 already keeps Romualdez from leaving the Philippines, after the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division denied his motion to lift the order on June 3, 2026. The Office of the Ombudsman preliminary investigation against him is built on alleged kickbacks of approximately P56 billion across the national flood control program. The US action does not by itself establish a finding of fact under US law; the State Department routinely declines to disclose grounds for revocations under INA section 222(f). Yedda Marie Romualdez, his wife and Tingog representative, has not been publicly reported to have had her own US visa cancelled. Babe Romualdez told reporters he had recused himself from any official engagement on the matter on the embassy side.