Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano on Monday clarified that the order of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla for 99 recently hired officials of the agency to submit their courtesy resignations is a call for loyalty to the institution and not an act of retaliation.

According to Clavano, the Ombudsman simply wanted to start his term on the right foot and was surprised by the sudden surge of promotions made shortly before the previous administration left office.

“Ombudsman Remulla was surprised because for seven years, only the last few months were used for the appointment and promotion of several employees here in the Office of the Ombudsman,” Clavano said.

“It is not an act of retaliation, it is not an act of revenge, but a call to be loyal to the office. Because what the Ombudsman only wants is loyalty to the office and not on one individual or personality,” he added.

The order, dated 22 October, covers employees whose appointments were issued between 29 May and 27 July 2025. These include two assistant ombudsmen, four directors, three graft investigation officers, 60 graft investigation and prosecution officers, and 30 assistant prosecutors.

According to Clavano, several individuals have already tendered their courtesy resignations as a gesture of good faith to the Ombudsman, while others are still expected to comply within the seven-day deadline.

“If they are not hiding anything in terms of the procedure in which they were appointed or they were hired or promoted, then there’s really nothing to worry about,” Clavano said.

“What we just want to see is they are willing to put full trust in the new administration and specifically, with the Ombudsman himself,” he added.