Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday expressed her opposition to the appointment of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as Ombudsman.

“If I were the president, I would not appoint him as Ombudsman,” Duterte said in an ambush interview in Mati, Davao Oriental.

Remulla earlier said he would issue a new memorandum allowing access to the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of public officials, including that of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte.

“He doesn’t need to look into it anymore. He should just put it before him and study it carefully, whatever it is he intends to do. Let’s just entrust him and whatever he does as Ombudsman to God,” Duterte said.

Duterte was also asked about the move of the House of Representatives to reinstate for 2026 the about P733 million budget of her office in 2025 after she refused to attend the budget hearings.

Rep. Leila de Lima, an archenemy of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, introduced an amendment to the submitted House budget, slashing her office’s proposed P889.24 million 2026 budget to its 2025 level.

Vice President Duterte deferred commenting on the budget cut, saying it was more important to show empathy for those affected by recent calamities, the typhoons and the recent earthquakes in Davao and Cebu.

“I will postpone my comment on the budget. Money is not important right now because what matters most is easing the sadness and fear of people affected by the earthquakes, floods, and typhoons,” Duterte said.

Duterte also declined to comment on the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejecting the request of her father’s defense counsel for the interim release of the former president, who faces charges of crimes against humanity for murder and attempted murder before the tribunal.

“I will hold off on commenting on the ICC case for now because we need to empathize with the victims of the earthquake and sympathize with those who lost loved ones. I’ll answer questions and give my comment on the ICC and other issues later,” she said.

In a 23-page decision on the defense counsel’s request for interim release, all three magistrates of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I found that the former president’s detention “continues to remain necessary under Article 60(2) of the Statute based on each of the requirements set by Article 58(1) of the Statute.”