DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 8 Oct) — Amid ongoing investigations into allegations of misuse of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte before the Office of the Ombudsman, a city councilor urged outgoing Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to uphold the independence of his office and prove that his appointment as the new head of the anti-graft watchdog was not made out of “mere political convenience.” During her privilege speech on Tuesday, Davao City 3rd District Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra “Sweet” Advincula, the majority floor leader, expressed hope that Remulla, a key figure in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s cabinet, would not allow himself to be used as a political tool. Advincula, a lawyer and Duterte family ally, emphasized that the Office of the Ombudsman, established under the 1987 Constitution, is meant to operate independently to investigate the powerful without fear or favor. “If the Ombudsman is perceived as partial, every investigation will be questioned, and justice will lose its moral force,” she said. President Marcos Jr. appointed Remulla on Tuesday from a shortlist of seven nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council, succeeding former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who retired on July 28, 2025. Last year, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability investigated alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education, where Duterte served as secretary until her resignation on June 19, 2024. These allegations formed the basis for an impeachment complaint, which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional on July 25, 2025. Advincula stated that Remulla’s appointment “tests our collective faith in the separation of powers” and urged him to act with transparency and honor. Meanwhile, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte criticized Remulla’s appointment, calling it a mockery of the Constitution. On Sept. 15, Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte filed criminal and administrative complaints against Remulla and nine other officials in connection with the arrest and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court on March 11. The affidavit-complaint includes charges of kidnapping, arbitrary detention, and violations of anti-corruption laws. On Oct. 2, Sebastian also filed a disbarment case against Remulla, National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, and two other officials before the Supreme Court. Sebastian’s counsel, Attorney Israelito Torreon, stated that the charges were not intended to obstruct Remulla’s nomination but to hold him accountable for alleged violations. _(Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)_
