Ombudsman: House, Senate figures to face plunder raps

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla on Saturday said lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and the Senate could be implicated in ongoing investigations into alleged irregularities in flood-control projects, revealing that the Office of the Ombudsman is preparing a conspiracy-to-commit-plunder complaint tied to the case.

Speaking during the DZRH program Executive Session, Remulla said the Ombudsman is currently handling between 35 and 45 active investigations involving flood-control projects nationwide, with more cases expected to be filed in the coming months.

“We have ongoing investigations involving flood control,” Remulla said in Filipino. “Our estimate is around 35 to 45 ongoing investigations.”

Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman has already begun drafting complaints tied to the investigations, including a possible conspiracy-to-commit-plunder case involving lawmakers and other officials.

“This one is more serious. This is the conspiracy-to-commit-plunder case which will involve everybody,” Remulla said in Filipino. “Initially, this involves both the Senate and the House — everybody involved.”

The Ombudsman added that the draft complaint is still being expanded as investigators continue gathering evidence.

“Our first draft was already 61 pages,” he said in Filipino. “But it will still grow because we are continuing to gather evidence.”

Remulla also hinted that the investigation could implicate influential personalities in both chambers of Congress.

According to Remulla, the Ombudsman is using findings from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee as supporting material in the ongoing investigations, although the evidence still needs to be independently validated.

“The Senate report is very useful to us because it helps supplement our efforts in investigating these cases,” he said in Filipino.

He clarified, however, that the Ombudsman is conducting its own fact-finding and case buildup process before filing charges.

“We still have to validate,” Remulla said in English.

The Ombudsman said the office deliberately avoids “weaponizing” investigations and instead focuses on evidence gathering before initiating formal cases.

“We do not weaponize the office,” he said in Filipino. “We bring in the evidence needed to charge people when necessary.”

Remulla added that he has centralized the issuance of subpoenas involving lawmakers under his authority to avoid allegations of selective enforcement or abuse.

“I personally take responsibility for all those subpoenas,” he said in Filipino.

He said more complaints involving flood-control projects and conflict-of-interest cases are expected to be filed by September as investigations continue to mature.