Statement of Incoming Ombudsman Remulla on “Confidential Funds” Complaints against VP Sara Duterte
Incoming Ombudsman Boying Remulla confirmed that under his lead, the office will open and study the complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Department of Justice Secretary Boying Remulla was one of the 17 applicants for the position of Ombudsman after former Ombudsman Samuel Martires retired in July. According to the Justice Secretary, he thinks he has a lot to offer. He expressed his confidence that the DOJ will be in good hands in case he will be appointed as Ombudsman.
Remulla also previously confirmed that he has informed Pres. Bongbong Marcos about his decision. It is the president who appoints the Ombudsman from the shortlist submitted by the Judiciary and Bar Council or JBC that screens the application.
Ahead of the pick for the new Ombudsman, presidential sister and Senator Imee Marcos previously claimed that she will stand against Remulla’s appointment as Ombudsman for Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and her family. She believes that the position might allegedly be used to persecute the Vice President or other members of her family.
Sen. Imee Marcos filed charges before the Ombudsman against five (5) government officials who were allegedly involved in the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. One of the accuses is DOJ Sec. Boying Remulla. Amid the issue over Duterte’s arrest, the Senator sided with the Duterte family.
Recently, the JBC submitted the shortlist for Ombudsman applicants to Marcos Jr. Out of 17 applicants, 7 of them made it into the shortlist submitted to the President. Not long after it, Malacañang announced that Marcos Jr. appointed DOJ Chief Boying Remulla as the new Ombudsman.
The appointment of incoming Ombudsman Boying Remulla earned different reactions from the Filipino people. Recently, he was asked about the complaints filed against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte over the alleged misuse of her confidential funds.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is being questioned over the spending of the P500 million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million confidential funds of the Department of Education (DepEd) under her leadership. Based on a report on GMA News, incoming Ombudsman Boying Remulla confirmed that he will have the complaints opened and studied.
“Bubuklatin natin. Pag-aaralan at tatanungin natin ‘yung mga may hawak na ngayon, mga may hawak at ‘yung may tungkulin na hawakan ‘yung mga kasong iyon,” incoming Ombudsman Remulla said.
Based on the report, it was in June when the Ombudsman ordered Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and nine (9) officials of the OVP and the DepEd to respond to the complaints. The Vice President filed her counter-affidavit. Aside from the issue of Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, incoming Ombudsman Boying Remulla was also asked about the flood control investigation.