Boying hits stone wall

Exasperated by the pursuit of erring officials, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla conceded that stonewalling is occurring at the highest levels of government to shield suspects in the corruption scandal.

Though some suspect a broader cover-up, Remulla affirmed that elements within the government are impeding progress in the investigations into the flood control projects.

In a media briefing, the designated graft buster grabbed the opportunity to vent “the difficulties that we have to face when doing all of this.”

A heart-to-heart talk between him and Speaker Bojie Dy two weeks back gave Remulla hope of cooperation from the House of Representatives in investigating its members caught up in the unprecedented mess, including contractors who are congressmen on the side, or the “congtractors.”

“Lately, our teams have been having a hard time getting hold of congressmen we are investigating because the secretary general’s office is saying that documents (mainly the SALNs or Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) have to pass through plenary for them to be released,” according to Remulla.

The current secretary-general is Cheloy Garafil, a former spokesperson for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Ombudsman called the requirement an excuse and said he will write the Speaker to protest the manner in which the secretary general’s office is conducting its affairs.

“It is just clerical and administrative to give us the SALNs because people are being investigated, and we’re having a problem there,” Remulla lamented.

The official tasked with overseeing the corruption scandal had already experienced a similar power play in the Senate involving Joel Villanueva.

Last year, Remulla indicated plans to pursue the directive of former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to dismiss Villanueva from government service.

He learned, however, that his predecessor, Samuel Martires, issued a decision reversing Carpio Morales’ decision that, in effect, acquitted the senator.

On 23 October last year, Remulla announced he would not pursue enforcement of the 2016 dismissal after discovering the 2019 reversals, which he described as a surprise.

Villanueva got off the hook after the Senate refused to enforce Carpio Morales’ order, saying the chamber had its own system of sanctioning members through the ethics committee.

Martires confirmed granting the MRs. This sparked allegations of a “secret decision.”

Remulla also pointed to the Anti-Money Laundering Council as “taking its sweet time” in responding to requests to freeze the bank accounts of officials involved in the pilfering of public funds.

“This trouble is all about the stealing of public funds. So the earlier we freeze it, the better,” Remulla said, suggesting that such requests for the withholding of deposits have been issued.

“It seems as if they are not in a hurry at all. They like to take their sweet time. And the AMLC does not seem to have that attitude of urgency for the country,” Remulla flatly criticized.

Moreover, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, of which the AMLC is a part, got flak from Remulla.

“The BSP has been notorious before for just protecting bankers and banks. And I think that it has to change. They have to be proactive now. And this anti-money laundering office has to step up to the job,” he explained.

Remulla said that, since the government is investigating, he cannot understand the rationale for impeding the process.

“Sooner or later, they’ll have to give it to us. But if their thought is to delay the process, I think they’re mistaken. And probably there’s a conflict of interest,” he said.

Remulla’s disclosure of efforts to obstruct the probe into the flood control mess reinforces the view that developments since the State of the Nation Address revelations have amounted to political theater meant to deflect accountability.