Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed on Wednesday that 99 out of 204 newly hired individuals in the Office of the Ombudsman were identified as having salary grades 25 and above. The Office is studying said employees hired since May, before his appointment.

“It’s a very high position in government, and for them to be hired at the last minute to occupy pivotal, highly paid positions—I think that’s questionable,” Remulla emphasized.

According to Remulla, they discovered that in special prosecutor positions with salary grades 26 and 27, more than 30 individuals were hired. The Graft and Prosecution Investigation Office also has around the same figure.

In addition, two individuals also filled the position of Assistant Ombudsman. Other positions were filled by newly hired directors, such as Director IV and Graft and Investigation Officer III.

Remulla stated that the 204 newly hired individuals were requested to submit their courtesy resignations and reapply for their positions in order not to be dubbed as “midnight appointees.”

“They will reapply, and we will reevaluate at the end. We hope that they will bear with us because six months is the critical time for this to happen,” Remulla said.

“Most of these are fresh lawyers, but their salary grades are already very high. I think it’s unfair to the morale of the lawyers here,” he added.

Ombudsman Remulla assumed office on 10 October and has since aimed to reform the institution into a more transparent and efficient agency amid the Flood Control controversies.

In connection with the Flood Control issue, Remulla also revealed that, together with the Philippine Competition Commission, they are looking into how losing bidders in government infrastructure projects could be used as part of a scheme.

According to the Ombudsman, three percent of the project cost is given to the losing bidders.

“If the project amount is, let’s say, P100 million, three percent is P3 million—that will be divided among the losing bidders,” Remulla cited as an example.