It sucks, says newly minted Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, almost sounding off like it’s obscene by decent ethical standard, assuming that there’s still such a thing in this neck of the woods.
Remulla decries the alleged secret order signed with his body and soul by his predecessor Samuel Martires as a free pass to Sen. Joel Villanueva, who has been burning at the seams at the allegations of corruption, then and now.
How could Remulla be so naïve as to expect that his predecessor was incapable of such a mischief as a secret order given his task of national import? The Ombudsman is supposed to guard the people versus corruption in the three branches of government, with some restrictions. Implicit in the task is of not being a robot and being independent.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed, cautioned an old adage. Remulla has apparently ignored the signs on the wall. Lawyer Edwin Lacierda, former President Noynoy Aquino’s press secretary and legal adviser noticed the signs: Martires was a coddler of former President Duterte. In other words, for a discerning lawyer like Lacierda, the weighing scale was unmistakably tipped on the other side.
There were things that became difficult to have or access during Duterte’s time. For one thing, copies of statements of assets and liabilities (SALNs) of government officials, elected or appointed. Martires stood on the way; they were being weaponized, he said. But SALNs are the first step to find out who may have been dipping their fingers in the cookie jar.
Given his naivette or trust, Remulla laid out in public a not-so-grand plan. He wanted a previous order by a former Ombusman, Conchita Morales Carpio, to be implemented by the Senate after nine years of dilly-dallying or ignorance. Villanueva had been recommended for dismissal by Morales. He would write a letter to the new Senate President about the order and ask that it be implemented, pronto. The SP and the nation eagerly awaited the upshot, given the national,even global, humilation, triggered by the massive infra corruption that seems to grow at every turn of investigation.
Lo and behold, R emulla was shooting at the moon. It turned out that Morales’ order had been reversed, long ago, by Martires, with all the legal clearance and certification showjng Remulla was merely barking up the wrong tree, or as Villanueva put it, simple and plain harassment. Alas, nobody knew about it, or so it seemed.
Facing a dead route, Remulla has cancelled his plan that failed to appreciate the smart move of his predecessor. Martires has done his homework well .Now, it can’t be reversed because it’s final. Otherwise, there will be a violation of the double jeopardy rule. You can’t cook even a crook over the same fire.
There was a time when the Ombudsman was called Tanodbayan. It meant what it was meant to do: be a watchdog. Times have changed. Secret orders or deals were a no-no during former President Aquino’s Tanodbayan time , or they were oxymoron.
Even President Bongbong Marcos was aghast at the secret order and wants it investigated thoroughly. His sister, Sen.Imee Marcos, was silently in glee, jf not celebrating or gloating. She had opposed Remulla’s Ombudsman bid from the get go. Villanueva was a fellow admirer of the former president and other causes for the political family, including the impeachment trial of the vice president which has been delayed, if not dead– thanks to her and the other pro-Duterte far as
Former Senator Rene Saguisag was always wary of the Ombudsman in his time. Every time he shook his hands, Saguisag confessed that he would immediately count his fingers after the hand-shake to make sure not one was missing.
Apparently, Remulla had a healthier view of his predecessor’s reputation. Until the belated disclosure and Martires’s own admission of the fact. Martires’ order maybe final, meaning Villanueva is safe, borrowing from Sen. Marcoleta’s favorite term, as far as Morales’s recommendation is concerned. But the former Ombudsman is not yet totally off the hook. Legal experts say certain administrative liabilities will keep him on his toes in the future, notwithstanding his stature.
Remulla has started to build an image as a skillful and no-non-sense crime buster hero after handling the case of the missing sabungeros which has been considered a cold one three years ago. His detective-sleuthing and legal execution plus a gift for media savvy have endeared him to the victims and those who hope to see a happy ending to the case. In sixty days, they say, the results, will be known.
However, The secret order on the Villanueva case has thrown a monkey wrench on Remulla’s track record.
Had Remulla succeeded in making the Morales order versus Villanueva stick, PBBM’s governance until 2028 should be promising vis-à-vis against corruption in government with Remulla as triggerman.
His next projects, which could be the impeachment against the vice president or prosecution of legislators , contractors and engineers involved in infra corruption mess should be the next attraction..
The Martires’ surprise should be a lesson learned well or costly earned either way. He still has almost seven years to prove that he is an Ombudsman worth It all, after all That’s a lot of time to look forward to in helping the Philippines change its local and global image as a land of crooks or his name as a legend as a fearless lawman.
