DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he would promote transparency and fairness and shield the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) from being ‘weaponized’ for partisan politics as he also called on the OMB to immediately resolve the pending complaint against him and several others filed by Senator Imee Marcos.
Speaking to the media after his panel interview for the post by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) last September 2, the Justice Secretary said he would encourage greater citizens’ participation in conducting ‘lifestyle checks’ on public officials and employees noting that “community vigilance” is a more reliable tool than government audits.
Remulla said he would reverse the policy of Ombudsman Samuel Martires of denying public access to the ‘SALN’ (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) of government officials and employees. The OMB acts as one of the repositories of the SALNs annually submitted by those working in the government.
He also vowed to free the OMB from being used as a “weapon” by politicians and stressed that under his term, he would be fair to everyone.
The post of Ombudsman was left vacant with the completion of the 7-years term of Martires last July 27. President Marcos Jr. appointed Dante Vargas, OMB for the Visayas as acting Ombudsman.
Incidentally, the OMB, previously ‘Tanodbayan’ (People’s Guardian), was created by President Marcos Senior in June 1977 thru Presidential Decree 1487.
Remulla also called on Vargas to immediately resolved the criminal and administrative complaints filed against him and several other government officials by Senator Imee Marcos last May over the transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague to face trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) last March 11.
Remulla insisted that he just did his job at the time with the end view of preventing disorder.
“Trabaho namin yan eh, to keep the country stable, to prevent violence, to prevent… any untoward act and I think that we were able to peacefully bring him out abroad to face the charges against him without hurting anybody physically.”
Section 5 of the JBC Rules mandates that only those cleared by the Ombudsman are qualified to be nominated or appointed to any judicial post including to the post of Ombudsman, Deputy Ombudsman, Special Prosecutor and the chair and regular members of the Legal Education Board.
In a separate interview last September 2, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting said Remulla would need to secure the OMB clearance by the end of the JBC’s final deliberation that could happen “weeks from now.”
President Marcos Jr. would then have until October 25 to select the next Ombudsman from the shortlist submitted by the JBC.