Ombudsman assures transparency, fast justice

Newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Boying Remulla on Tuesday vowed to bring transparency, accountability, and efficiency to the Office of the Ombudsman, saying the public deserves to know how cases against government officials are handled.

In his first interview following his appointment, Remulla said he would open the office to greater public and media access to build trust in the country’s primary anti-graft institution.

“Transparency and accountability — that’s what people are looking for,” Remulla said. “The public wants to know what the Ombudsman is doing. We will let them see that there is justice here.”

Remulla said he plans to establish a media office to ensure regular updates on the agency’s activities and investigations. “There will be more interviews and more news coming from the Ombudsman’s office,” he added.

He also underscored the need to accelerate the handling of cases, saying prolonged proceedings weaken the justice system.

“We want to speed up the process. We already know what’s happening — so we must move faster,” he said. “We will benchmark and coordinate closely with the Sandiganbayan to minimize delays and ensure that cases proceed swiftly to court.”

Among his priorities, Remulla said, is validating complaints involving public works and flood control projects, including those already under study by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

His office will also act on reports concerning confidential funds, such as those mentioned in congressional inquiries, stressing that all cases will be handled “fairly and based on evidence.”

“The Ombudsman’s job is for the entire country — not for one person or one group,” he said, rejecting suggestions that his appointment could shield allies of the administration. “Every branch of government must be accountable under the law.”

Remulla said he would adopt standards similar to those he implemented at the Department of Justice (DOJ), where he pushed for early evaluation of cases to weed out weak or nuisance complaints.

He also plans to introduce “crowdsourcing mechanisms” to allow citizens to submit leads or information that could aid investigations.

“Crowdsourcing of information is a big help,” he said, adding that his office will create channels for the public to share information about officials who should be investigated.

At the same time, Remulla assured that privacy and due process will guide the release of information from the Ombudsman’s office to prevent the spread of false or misleading claims.

“We will be guided by data privacy rules,” he said. “We don’t want to risk anyone’s reputation through premature disclosures.”

He emphasized that the Ombudsman’s mandate—to make public officials accountable—covers all branches of government without exception.

“The whole government system is the concern of this office,” he said. “Everyone must live by the code of ethics and follow the law.”

Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named Remulla to the post, succeeding Samuel Martires, whose term had ended. Remulla confirmed that DOJ Undersecretary Fredderick Vida will serve as officer-in-charge of the department in his stead.