Remulla, ex-COA chief on shortlist for Ombudsman post
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has been officially shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for the Ombudsman post, alongside six other candidates that include incumbent justices and high-ranking government officials.
From a total of 17 applicants, the JBC recommended to the post Remulla, former Commission on Audit (COA) Chair Michael Aguinaldo, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Stephen Cruz, Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, Office of the President Deputy Executive Secretary Anna Liza Logan, retired Supreme Court Justice Mario Lopez, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Musngi.
The shortlist and application documents of the candidates were submitted to President Marcos around noon on Monday shortly after the six-member council’s deliberations.
The voting members of the JBC are acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen, Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro representing Congress, and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Catral Mendoza representing retired justices.
Also included in the signatories were JBC members Nesauro Firme (academe), Erlinda Piñera Uy (Integrated Bar of the Philippines), and lawyer Jose Mejia (private sector).
Remulla, an ex officio JBC member by virtue of his position as justice secretary, did not participate in the voting.
Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting earlier said that an applicant needed at least four votes to make it to the shortlist.
President Marcos, Ting said, has until Oct. 25 to appoint a new Ombudsman, three months since former Ombudsman Samuel Martires stepped down following the expiration of his seven-year term on July 27.
String of suits
Remulla’s Ombudsman bid has been hounded by controversy after reports in August claimed he has been disqualified due to pending criminal and administrative complaints filed by Sen. Imee Marcos in connection with the March 11 arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Remulla said it was business as usual at the Department of Justice.
“I’ll still be reporting for work here for sure tomorrow because we’re still finishing a lot of things. Let’s see how it goes,” he added.
Since filing his application, the justice secretary faced a string of cases from Duterte allies, which he has dismissed as an “organized” attempt to block his bid, specifically to secure the required clearance that he had no pending cases.
Over the weekend, Senator Marcos claimed on Facebook that Remulla would be appointed on Monday despite the Supreme Court’s clarification that there was no shortlist yet.
She said it was a “forced appointment of a person who is unqualified, has pending cases, and is tainted with injustice.”
On Oct. 2, acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte filed a disbarment case on Oct. 2 against Remulla, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and several officials over the alleged “kidnapping” and “expulsion” of his father to The Hague, where the former Philippine leader faces International Criminal Court charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody drug war.
On Sept. 15, the younger Duterte also lodged complaints of kidnapping, arbitrary detention, and violation of rights against Remulla and other officials before the Ombudsman, still over his father’s arrest.
That same day, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, another Duterte ally, filed a separate complaint against Remulla over the 2024 arrest of his client, Lucky South 99 Corp. representative Cassandra Li Ong.
The Office of the Ombudsman is a constitutional body that handles corruption and other complaints against government officials or employees, including those in state-owned or -controlled corporations, and enforce administrative, civil and criminal liability in cases where the evidence warrants.
