DAVAO City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte and City Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra “Sweet” Advincula have expressed concern over President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s appointment of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as the new Ombudsman.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, October 7, Duterte said it was unsurprising that the administration chose Remulla for the post, suggesting that the move was politically motivated.
“It makes sense. With all the problems the people in power are facing right now, they need all the help they can get to cover things up,” Duterte said. “Even at the cost of making a mockery of our Constitution. God bless the Philippines.”
Meanwhile, Advincula, who serves as the floor leader of the 21st City Council and chairs the Committee on Rules, Privileges, Laws, and Ordinances, urged the new Ombudsman to act with restraint, transparency, and integrity.
Speaking during her privilege speech at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Advincula said the Ombudsman’s office must remain independent, as mandated under Article XI of the Constitution.
“This independence is not ceremonial but constitutional,” she said. “It exists so the Ombudsman may investigate the powerful without fear, favor, or interference.”
She also cited Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which require public officials to avoid conflicts of interest and even the appearance of bias.
“But today, the new Ombudsman, who recently was the Secretary of Justice, was appointed: a key figure within the Executive Department,” Advincula said. “This development tests our collective faith in the separation of powers and in the independence of oversight institutions.”
She warned that if the Ombudsman is perceived as partial or politically aligned, the public’s trust in its investigations would be undermined.
“Let this Council’s record reflect our collective hope that the Office of the Ombudsman remains a tribune of the people, not a shed for the powerful,” she added.
In an interview, Advincula said she hopes Remulla will not allow the office to become a political tool, emphasizing that he must inhibit himself from handling cases he previously oversaw as Justice Secretary to avoid any conflict of interest.
She clarified that her speech was not meant as indignation but as a call to uphold the integrity and independence of the Ombudsman’s office.
Earlier, President Marcos officially appointed Remulla to succeed former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who retired in July. The Presidential Communications Office defended the appointment, saying, “President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reaffirms that transparency, fairness, and the rule of law will remain the guiding principles of this administration’s pursuit of a Bagong Pilipinas that truly serves the Filipino people."
The Ombudsman serves a fixed seven-year term without reappointment and is tasked with investigating complaints against high-ranking government officials and those involved in grave misconduct or corruption. RGP with reports from Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo