DOJ chief Remulla named ombudsman

No sacred cows: Probes to include VP

- ALEXIS ROMERO

Amid the flood control scandal, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has been appointed as ombudsman, declaring he will spare no one being linked to corruption, including Vice President Sara Duterte and her supporters.

Remulla, who gave the clearance for the arrest of the Vice President's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, by the International Criminal Court, succeeds Samuel Martires, whose term ended in July.

After being officially informed of his appointment yesterday, Remulla said he is taking the job "amidst a firestorm" of issues, especially the flood control scandal. He vowed to "sort out this mess" and prosecute those accountable.

"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," Malacañang said in announcing the appointment of Remulla.

The formal announcement of Remulla's appointment was preempted last Sunday by President Marcos' elder sister and Duterte ally Sen. Imee Marcos, who described the incoming ombudsman as "unworthy" and "tainted with injustice."

Justice Undersecretary Fredderick Vida will serve as DOJ officer-in-charge.

Malacañang brushed aside criticisms of Remulla's designation, maintaining that the Marcos administration "remains firm in its commitment to fight corruption wherever it exists."

"As ombudsman, Remulla is expected to uphold transparency, strengthen anti-corruption measures and ensure that justice is administered fairly and efficiently," the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

Asked to react to concerns that Remulla would not be impartial as an ombudsman, PCO Secretary Dave Gomez said the justice chief went through a "very stringent process" required under the Constitution and was vetted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).