Imee says Remulla not yet off the hook

Senator Imee Marcos on Monday, 15 September, said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla is not yet off the hook after the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the cases filed against him.

"May kaso pa rin si Sec. Boying dahil nag-file ako ng motion for reconsideration (MR) of the joint resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman na nagbabasura sa mga kaso laban [sa kanya] (Sec. Boying still has a case because I filed an MR of the joint resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman dismissing the cases against him)," Marcos told members of the media.

"Iniisip ko rin na umakyat sa Supreme Court kapag binasura pa rin ito at tuloy-tuloy nila malabag ang iba't ibang batas at due process (I also think of bringing the matter to the Supreme Court if the Ombudsman dismisses my MR and they will continue to violate laws and due process)," she added.

Marcos’ MR challenged the Ombudsman’s dismissal of her graft, usurpation of authority, and arbitrary detention complaint against Remulla and six others.

The senator filed criminal and administrative cases against Remulla in March in connection with the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands.

Remulla, who is applying for Ombudsman, must first be cleared by the Office of the Ombudsman of any pending cases to be considered for the post.

The senator earlier vowed to block Remulla’s candidacy, calling it a political move to weaken the Duterte bloc ahead of the 2028 elections.

The Justice chief admitted in April that he personally issued the clearances for the former president’s arrest and immediate transfer to the International Criminal Court, under Section 17 of Republic Act 9851, which allows surrender of suspects to an international tribunal.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) gave Remulla until the final day of deliberations, scheduled “in the next few weeks,” to submit the required clearance.

Under Section 5 of the JBC’s Revised Rules, applicants with pending criminal or administrative cases are disqualified from nomination to any judicial post, as well as to the positions of Ombudsman, Deputy Ombudsman, Special Prosecutor, or chair or regular member of the Legal Education Board.