Ombudsman junks raps vs DOJ chief, six others
The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the cases filed against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and six others for the turnover of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The cases stem from the claims of Sen. Imee Marcos in May that there were graft, arbitrary detention, usurpation of authority and judicial functions, grave threats, false testimony and perjury, as well as grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. in relation to Duterte’s arrest.
The cases also impleaded former Philippine National Police chief Nicolas Torre III, former PNP chief Rommel Francisco Marbil, Jesus’s brother and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Justice Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty and Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao.
Marcos said on Friday she would appeal the antigraft body’s dismissal, but did not provide copies of her original pleading as well as the Ombudsman’s decision on the case.
The last time Duterte’s arrest was taken up in court was in March, when the former president and his close ally, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, asked the Supreme Court in a last-minute petition to stop the government from allowing ICC personnel to enter the country, facilitate their activities, or cooperate with their investigation into the antidrug campaign.
The high court said “petitioners failed to establish a clear and unmistakable right for the immediate issuance of a TRO (temporary restraining order).”
The ruling prompted the International Criminal Police Organization to proceed with the enforcement of an ICC arrest warrant to bring him to The Hague for trial on crimes against humanity.
It was not clear what new matters Marcos wanted to raise about the former president’s arrest in March, but her recent statements insisted that there was a government conspiracy to prevent Vice President Sara Duterte and her allies from running for office in 2028.
Unclear point
Marcos was apparently referring to the vice president’s impeachment over the supposed misuse of P612.5 million funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd).
But the articles of impeachment are already with the Senate, and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials are not expected to take part in the process, even if an impeachment trial pushes through.
The senator may also be referring to P12.2 billion worth of questionable DepEd transactions that were disallowed by the Commission on Audit earlier this year and remained unresolved.
She may also be referring to the P4 million to P6 million in confidential DepEd funds that were disbursed to Duterte’s security office for purposes outside of the department’s mandate.
The Vice President has offered no explanation for the use of the P612.5-million fund, the P4-million to P6-million disbursements, or the P12.2 billion in disallowed transactions.
“There is a very ominous reason, clearly for Secretary (Jesus Crispin Remulla) to become the next Ombudsman. It’s the new face in the effort to get rid of VP Sara before 2028,” the senator said in an earlier statement.
The senator did not offer specific proof and instead released statements on subsidiary issues on why the DOJ chief should be disqualified from being appointed Ombudsman.
