Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla refused to comment on the recent video message released by former House Speaker Martin Romualdez through his social media platform.

Remulla was present at the People’s Center Building in Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City to deliver the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of Vice President Sara Duterte to the House Committee on Justice.

After confirming the transmittal of the said documents, the Ombudsman was excused from the panel as he had to tend to a “huge amount of work” based on Committee Chairperson Gerville Luistro.

While on his way out of the facility, Remulla was approached by reporters to seek for any response regarding the message of Romualdez directed to him pertaining to its ongoing probe into the anomalous flood control scandal.

However, the investigator merely expressed, “It is what it is.”

On Tuesday, Remulla revealed that the former house speaker had asked their office to grant a request to embark on a medical trip to Singapore for a check-up on an angioplasty surgery which was supposed to last from 20 April to 4 May.

The Ombudsman said that it did not respond favourably to the said request despite House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy giving the go signal for Romualdez’s endeavor.

Remulla said that the measure was taken as a precautionary step in its ongoing probe into the multibillion-peso scandal that has cited multiple congressmen and senators over recent months.

The Leyte 1st District Rep. had called on the Ombudsman through the video message to treat its investigation with seriousness instead of being complacent and “settling for the easiest headline” pertaining to individuals it probed.

“This is a serious matter and should be handled with seriousness, not with haste, theatrics, or shortcuts,” he said.

In an attempt to clear his name, Romualdez asserted that he was not part of the bicameral system that decided on the 2025 national budget, instead pointing towards former Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and former solon Zaldy Co as key figures in the determination.

Romualdez maintained that he would no longer remain quiet, particularly if his silence was being used against him.