Palace alarmed over alleged secret dismissal of Villanueva case

Malacañang expressed concern on Friday over reports that complaints against Senator Joel Villanueva related to the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) were dismissed in a “secret” decision, if true.

“Kung ito po ay mapapatunayang totoo, ito po ay nakakabahala dahil hindi dapat nagkakaroon ng pagdududa ang taumbayan sa ating justice system considering na ito po ang isa sa pinakamahalagang ahensiya upang maiwasan at matugunan ang issue about sa korapsiyon sa bansa,” Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing, emphasizing that the country’s justice system should remain transparent and trustworthy.

("If it is indeed true, then this is alarming because the public should not doubt our justice system considering that this is the most relevant agency to prevent and address corruption issues in the country.")

Castro underscored the importance of public confidence in institutions like the Office of the Ombudsman, which plays a critical role in preventing and addressing corruption. She also stressed the need for thorough investigations to ensure accountability if any laws were violated.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla earlier revealed that Villanueva’s PDAF case was dismissed as a “secret decision,” noting that it was difficult to believe a resolution of such public interest could be withheld from the public.

However, former Ombudsman Samuel Martires disputed this, insisting that the decision was not secret. In a previous radio interview, Martires explained that the dismissal was properly entered into the Case Management System (CCMS) in July 2019, and copies were provided to both the complainant and Senator Villanueva.

“Ayan naman ay ibinigay sa may complainant, sa complainant, binigay kay Senator Joel. So hindi ko alam bakit sasabihin na may sikreto akong ginawa? Wala akong sikretong ginagawa sa aking trabaho, na lahat ay nakabuyangyang,” Martires said.

("That was given to the complainant, it was given to Senator Joel. So I don’t understand why they would say that I did something secret? I’m not doing anything secret in my work, everything is out in the open.")

Malacañang also emphasized that any motions for reconsideration should follow due process and that criminal cases can still proceed even if a motion has been filed.