Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian Speaks on Ombudsman Boying Remulla
SHERWIN GATCHALIAN – The Senator defended Ombudsman Boying Remulla for agreeing with the “bend the law” remarks of Senator Erwin Tulfo.
The Senate opened its own flood control investigation amid the supposed multi-billion corruption in the Philippine government. The probe is led by the Blue Ribbon Committee which currently had Senator Ping Lacson as its chairman.
Previously, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta who is now part of the Senate Minority bloc was the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee when the probe started. However, the upper chamber had a shakeup after some senators were tagged in the flood control mess.
During one of the Senate flood control hearings, Sen. Erwin Tulfo who’s the vice chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee grilled then Justice Secretary Boying Remulla. He told Remulla that the people are above the law and he asked him if he agrees with him that there are times that you should “bend the law” to please the people. The then Secretary of Justice agreed with the Senator.
Both Sen. Erwin Tulfo and now-Ombudsman Boying Remulla earned criticisms over the “bend the law” remarks. Countless Filipinos stressed that no one is above the law.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo claimed that he did not say that the law should be broken or violated when he said “bend the law”. He admitted that his statement was born out of anger amid the flood control issue in the country.
Recently, Minority Sen. Rodante Marcoleta called on Ombudsman Boying Remulla to explain over his move to agree with the “bend the law” remark of Sen. Erwin Tulfo during a Senate flood control hearing. Based on a post of News5 on social media, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian defended the Ombudsman.
“Our people might be misled that it is alright to bend the law. Can he make clarification or public apology for saying that?” Sen. Marcoleta said.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian stressed that Ombudsman Boying Remulla is “very strict in not bending the law”. Based on the post, the Senator claimed that the country’s chief graft-buster will abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court.
“The Ombudsman intimated [that] he is very strict in not bending the law. He will abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling… Walang intention to bend the law. Prinsipyo niya ay follow the law at uphold the law. Para lang klaro na itong nasabi nya ay figure of speech,” Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.
Previously, Senator Robin Padilla opposed the “bend the law” remarks of fellow Sen. Erwin Tulfo.