Remulla ‘not giving up’ on ombudsman bid

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla is not throwing in the towel despite an online report claiming the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) disqualified him for the ombudsman post due to a pending complaint in connection with the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“I’m not giving up on my application,” Remulla said in a short reply to reporters via Viber on Friday night.

“I trust they (JBC members) will do what is right, considering the ombudsman case is ripe for dismissal given the pending case at the Supreme Court on the same matter,” Remulla added in another message sent via Viber yesterday.

Remulla was referring to the pending petitions before the SC questioning the validity of the arrest of Duterte and his turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

A report by Abogado.com.ph said that Remulla, as well as Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chair Felix Reyes, were disqualified by the JBC for having pending complaints against them. The report was citing a source “with knowledge of the matter” who supposedly requested anonymity.

“Not true,” Remulla told The STAR about the disqualification rumors.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the SC denied the report, pointing out that the JBC has yet to commence its vetting process on the applications it received for the ombudsman post.

“In response to some of your queries on whether the JBC disqualified SOJ (Secretary of Justice) Remulla from the ombudsman position, the Judicial and Bar Council has not yet commenced the vetting process, as the official list of applicants under consideration has yet to be published,” SC spokesperson Camille Ting told reporters in a Viber message on Friday night.

In its report, Abogado.com said that as per the information given by its source, Remulla had already informed his subordinates in the DOJ that he was no longer a candidate for the ombudsman post.

The Abogado.com report further stated that had he not been disqualified and had been appointed by President Marcos to the ombudsman post, Remulla was supposed to recommend Undersecretaries Raul Vasquez or Jesse Hermogenes Andres as his replacement.

Remulla and several other officials are currently being investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman for criminal charges of arbitrary detention, usurpation of judicial functions, grave threats, graft, usurpation of authority or official functions, false testimony and perjury.

The ombudsman’s investigation stemmed from Sen. Imee Marcos’ transmittal of the report of Senate committee on foreign relations, which conducted inquiry hearings on Duterte’s alleged illegal arrest and turnover to the ICC. The ombudsman treated the committee report as an official complaint.

Reyes of the PCSO, meanwhile, was accused by whistleblower Julie Patidongan of fixing the cases of businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang who was earlier tagged by Patidongan as the mastermind behind the disappearance and alleged killing of the missing cockfight enthusiasts or sabungeros.

Reyes had denied the “case fixing” allegation.

The next ombudsman will be replacing ombudsman Samuel Martires, who officially ended his seven-year term last July 27.

Under the revised JBC rules, vacancy for the ombudsman post shall be filled within three months from its occurrence.

An ombudsman must be appointed by the President from a shortlist of at least three nominees to be submitted by the JBC. An ombudsman shall serve for a term of seven years without reappointment.