The SoJ who rebuilt trust

When Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla walks into a room, there’s a quiet sense of order that follows. He doesn’t need to announce it — it’s in the way that he listens, the way he measures his words, and the way he speaks of justice not as an abstract concept, but as something that must breathe in the daily lives of ordinary Filipinos.

His appointment as Ombudsman is not just the continuation of a career in public service — it is the culmination of decades of transformational leadership that has reshaped every institution he has led.

Remulla’s story begins long before the Department of Justice. As a lawyer, he was known for precision and courage — the kind of advocate who would rather lose a case than lose his integrity.

As governor of Cavite, he showed that discipline and development could coexist. He opened roads, restored order to public finance, and made Cavite one of the most business-friendly provinces in the country.

As a congressman, he proved that intelligence and conviction could stand together, often speaking his mind in plenary debates that others shied away from. He was, even then, a reformist in a traditionalist chamber.

But it was at the Department of Justice where Boying Remulla’s brand of leadership was truly tested — and where he delivered the most. When he assumed office in 2022, the DoJ was burdened by backlogs, bureaucracy, and doubt. Under his watch, the department began to evolve into something modern and moral.

He digitized case management, empowered prosecutors, and strengthened internal integrity boards. He led the creation of specialized task forces that took on complex corruption schemes — from the flood control scandal to the trafficking of Filipinos abroad.

He demanded professionalism, but also shielded his people from political interference. His reforms in prison decongestion, coordination with the NBI, and case buildup mechanisms breathed new life into the justice system. And through it all, he reminded his subordinates that justice delayed is justice denied — a line that, for him, was not a cliché but a commandment.

Now, as Ombudsman, Boying Remulla will carry that same spirit of reform into a new frontier — one where independence is the ultimate test. In his hands, the Office of the Ombudsman will not be a sanctuary for power but a crucible for accountability.

He brings with him the moral clarity of a lawyer, the discipline of a governor, and the vision of a justice secretary who understood that trust, once lost, must be earned again through every case, every decision, and every act of courage.

His appointment is more than symbolic — it is a promise that the rule of law still has champions, and that the nation can still believe in integrity in public office.