Newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday vowed to restore public trust in the anti-graft institution by eradicating the “culture of delay” and pursuing corruption cases without fear or favor — even against powerful officials and political allies.

“Critics live in a political world. I work in the legal one,” Remulla said after taking his oath of office before Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about cleaning up the government for the people.”

Dispelling claims that his appointment was politically motivated, the former justice secretary said his only agenda is to restore confidence in the anti-graft office: “The challenge is to produce proof and act on it. There will be no sacred cows.”

He promised swift investigations, a faster case buildup process, and tighter coordination with the courts to end what he described as “years of complacency” at the Office of the Ombudsman.

“We need to look at how cases are moving and set clear policies so that nothing gets stuck,” he said. “This office cannot be a place where cases grow old.”

Among his first priorities is the ongoing flood control projects scandal involving officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways  and their favored contractors. 

Calling it “an emergency situation,” Remulla said a case buildup was already underway and its filing before the Sandiganbayan could begin “within the next few weeks.”

“We don’t want to be the cause of delay,” he stressed. “It’s not about who is involved, but what the case and the evidence show. Everyone will face the law, even senators if necessary.”

He said the Ombudsman’s office will also revisit the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. controversy, which he described as having been “buried and forgotten” despite lingering questions over the questionable procurements made during the Covid pandemic. 

“People deserve clarity on what really happened,” he said.

Courage and creativity

Leonen called on the new Ombudsman to lead the anti-corruption campaign “with courage and creativity.” He reminded all public officials that “titles are temporary,” and urged Remulla to focus on systemic reforms.

“Accountability from public officers is fundamental to public trust,” Leonen said. “Build up the cases. Discover, access, preserve, maintain, and then present the evidence properly in our courts.”

Remulla, for his part, announced plans to create an “Ombudsman Marshal” service to protect witnesses and preserve critical documents — an area he said that has long crippled graft investigations. “If evidence disappears, no case will ever prosper,” he warned.

He also intends to strengthen oversight of regulatory agencies and compel telecommunications firms to cooperate in curbing the online sexual exploitation of children. 

“Accountability in regulatory bodies must improve,” he said. “It’s time to demand higher standards so ordinary Filipinos will benefit from honest governance.”

On the release of Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth by government officials, including Vice President Sara Duterte, Remulla said public access to the SALNs will continue with safeguards for data privacy. 

“Information is power, but with great power comes great responsibility,” he said. “We must ensure transparency is not abused for political noise.”