PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as the new Ombudsman.
Remulla will replace Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who retired last July.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office vouched for Remulla, the 59th secretary of Justice since June 2022.
“Under his leadership, the Department of Justice advanced major reforms to modernize the justice system, decongest prisons, accelerate case resolution, and expand access to legal services. His decades of service as a legislator, governor, and lawyer have earned him broad respect for his integrity and commitment to public service,” it said in a statement.
The PCO said Remulla is expected to uphold transparency, strengthen anti-corruption measures, and ensure that justice is administered fairly and efficiently as it reiterated the administration’s firm commitment in fighting corruption “wherever it exists.”
“There will be no sacred cows, no exemptions, and no excuses. Public office is a public trust, and those who betray it will be held accountable,” the PCO said.
“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,” it added.
The government’s Ombudsman has a fixed term of seven years without reappointment.
The Office of the Ombudsman is in charge of complaints filed against high ranking government officials and those occupying supervisory positions, complaints involving grave offenses, as well as complaints involving large sums of money and/or properties. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)