Remullas flying to France for Co

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and his brother Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla are planning to fly separately to France in pursuit of those facing criminal cases in the Philippines.

After the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant for plunder against former congressman Zaldy Co, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief said yesterday he would fly to France to personally meet with officials of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) at their headquarters in Lyon.

“We will file another request for a red notice against Zaldy Co. Coincidentally, I will also go to Lyon, France to follow up on his red notice from Interpol,” he said at a news briefing in Camp Crame.

The ombudsman earlier said he would also fly to France to talk to French authorities about prominent personalities accused of corruption who are believed to be hiding in the European country.

“I will work with the Interpol, he (DILG chief) will work with the diplomatic efforts to get Zaldy Co,” the ombudsman said.

A red notice seeks the location and arrest of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction or international tribunal.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday ordered the arrest of former House speaker Martin Romualdez, Co, Romualdez’s household staff Joselyn Serenio and money changer owner Felicito Guevarra after they were indicted for a P7.4-billion plunder charge.

The government earlier sought a red notice alert for Co after the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division issued an arrest warrant for graft and malversation of public funds over an allegedly anomalous road dike project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million.

As for Serenio and Guevarra, Remulla said manhunt operations are ongoing for their arrest.

Political will

The arrest of Romualdez over the flood control scandal should finally silence critics accusing President Marcos of being a weak leader, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said, urging the public to let the judicial process take its course.

Posting on X on Monday, Lacson said the arrest of the President’s cousin demonstrates the administration’s political will to exact accountability.

“With the arrest of his cousin, former speaker Romualdez, the President’s critics who have accused him of weak leadership and a lack of resolve in confronting the flood-control mess should now be silenced by his action,” he said.

The senator commended the Sandiganbayan for advancing the case.

“The ombudsman likewise deserves all the praise and support from the Filipino people,” Lacson continued.

“Let the trial proceed and let the evidence speak. Most importantly, the former speaker is now given his day in court,” he added.

During his tenure as Senate Blue Ribbon chair, Lacson had repeatedly invited Romualdez to attend the flood control hearings, but the former speaker failed to appear.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon yesterday affirmed the administration’s adherence to judicial process, following Romualdez’s arrest, emphasizing that legal accountability must apply equally without special accommodations such as hospital arrest.

On questions regarding potential petitions from Romualdez’s camp seeking hospital arrest or alternative detention arrangements on health and comfort grounds, Dizon maintained that judicial processes must remain strictly neutral.

“My personal stance is that justice needs to be completely fair and equal,” Dizon said. “When ordinary citizens or DPWH engineers face criminal or administrative charges, they do not receive special detention accommodations or hospital privileges. We leave the final decision to the courts, but equal application of the law must prevail.”

Ang pleads not guilty

Meanwhile, USWAG Ilonggo Party-list Rep. Jojo Ang has entered a “not guilty” plea before the Sandiganbayan Second Division for two counts of graft for alleged conflict of interest in government infrastructure projects.

Ombudsman prosecutors have accused Ang of maintaining an unlawful financial interest in a construction firm that secured government contracts.

The court has set the pre-trial of the cases to Sept. 15 pending consolidation of Ang’s separate graft charges from the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division.

The ombudsman has filed a total of 14 counts of graft against Ang over his supposed beneficial ownership of Allencon Development Corp., where he owns 500 shares.

Ang is reportedly the nephew of the owners of International Builders Corp., the biggest contractor in Western Visayas Region. The firm was reportedly the contractor of two allegedly substandard flyover projects in Iloilo worth more than P1.7 billion.

He allegedly remained a co-owner of the family-run firm for nearly a year after taking office in 2022. – Neil Jayson Servallos, Rainier Allan Ronda, Daphne Galvez