Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, on Monday, confirmed that Justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo will serve as acting Ombudsman following the retirement of Samuel Martires on Sunday, 27 July.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman, Punzalan-Castillo will assume the designation of “Officer-in-Charge” (OIC) while the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) screens potential candidates for the post.

The office also clarified that the OIC of the Ombudsman served as the second highest official next to Martires’. 

Martires was appointed Ombudsman on 26 July 2018 by former president Rodrigo Duterte with a term of seven years.

He served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, as well as the Sandiganbayan. Prior to his appointments, he was a judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 of Agoo, La Union.

Bersamin said the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has yet to submit a shortlist or their recommendations to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The JBC will be conducting interviews for aspirants after the State of the Nation Address.

“Wala ang JBC shortlist (There’s no JBC shortlist). Interviews of the aspirants by the JBC are yet to begin after the SONA,” Bersamin said.