(File photo)
MANILA – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and 15 other individuals were officially named by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) in its list of applicants for the position of Ombudsman on Friday.
Aside from Remulla also in the JBC’s official list of applicants were former Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo; Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Romeo Benitez; law practitioner Jonie Caroche-Vestido; Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Bautista Corpin Jr.; former CA Associate Justice Stephen Cruz; Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg; and Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres.
Also in the list are Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan; former Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares; Deputy Executive Secretary Anna Liza Logan, recently retired SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez; PDP–Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag; Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Chairperson Felix Reyes; Regional Trial Court Judge Jason Rodenas; and former retired Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Turgano.
The JBC, a constitutional body, screens applicants to the judiciary and to bodies like the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman post became vacant after former Ombudsman Samuel Martires’ seven-year term ended last July 27.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed Ombudsman special prosecutor, retired CA presiding justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo as acting Ombudsman in late July.
The JBC said it wants to hear inputs from the public.
“We welcome your thoughts, concerns, or comments about the applicants for the position of Ombudsman,” the JBC said.
The public is advised to click “https://jbc.judiciary.gov.ph/jbc-survey/” and take the survey before 4:30 p.m. of Aug. 26. (PNA)
