Vetting for new Ombudsman begins, open to public input
The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has officially released the list of applicants for the position of Ombudsman.
The list includes Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who was previously the subject of a report that he was disqualified due to a pending case before the office he is applying for.
But the Supreme Court issued a statement denying the report, saying the vetting process has not yet started.
Full list of applicants
The Office of the Ombudsman is tasked with investigating and prosecuting government officials accused of graft and corruption. The position became vacant following the retirement of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires on July 27, 2025, after a seven-year term.
The JBC list includes prominent names from the judiciary and various branches of government, underscoring the high-stakes selection process.
The full list of applicants include:
Former Commission on Audit Chair Michael Aguinaldo, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Romeo Benitez, private law practitioner Jonie Caroche-Vestido, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Bautista Corpin Jr., retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Stephen Cruz, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg; Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres;
Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan; former Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares; Deputy Executive Secretary Anna Liza Logan; retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Lopez; PDP Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag; Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi;
Justice Secretary Remulla; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Chair Felix Reyes; Regional Trial Court Judge Jason Rodenas; and retired Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Turgano.
Public feedback
The JBC, a constitutional body tasked to screen nominees for the judiciary and top Ombudsman posts, encourages the public to participate in the process by providing feedback about a candidate through a survey form available at https://jbc.judiciary.gov.ph/jbc-survey/.
The deadline for submission of public inputs is Aug. 26, 2025.
