THE APPOINTMENT OF Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla to the Office of Ombudsman is a cause of fear for many who opposed him politically and those with cases he built up from the flood control project fund scandal and perhaps even those that his family fought with while at the helm of their Cavite stronghold.
Some even think that Remulla would make it more difficult for former president Duterte and his ilk – detained Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, to survive the next seven years of his term at the office.
To many, his appointment to that constitutional office is a political strategy to shield the current president and his family or even the Remulla clan from suits in the years to come, should corruption, abuse of authority, conflict of interest and other offenses be filed against them before the Ombudsman, the state watchdog for government officials.
In a press conference upon his appointment, Remulla vowed for transparency and accountability by ensuring that the SALN (state of assets, liabilities and networth) that his predecessor Samuel Martires (whose term ended last July) blocked at all cost to shield Duterte from criminal prosecution, will now be upheld giving access even to media, on an information sharing basis. He also promised regular media briefings.
He topped the shortlist of seven candidates for the position. But his proximity to Malacanang and his optic presence did much of the work. The justice department (under him) prosecuted those involved in the anomalous spending of the trillion-peso flood control fund by favored contractors, DPWH officials and personnel and lawmakers who ensured funding for such dubious projects through budget insertions.
OMBUDSMAN’S POWER
The position of Ombudsman is much coveted among legal practitioners and to the sitting administration because of its vast powers such as investigating corruption among the highest-ranking public officials and initiating cases against them without needing a complaint to be filed first.
This can be done through lifestyle checks and other means at his disposal. Thus it is crucial to ensure the right person is picked for this role.
Boying belongs to the powerful political dynasty of Remulla in vote-rich Cavite, which made the clan very influential in politics. His brother, Jonvic is Marcos’ Interior and Local Government Secretary.
Having two Remullas in the Cabinet further bolstered the influence they wield, more so with Boying’s elevation to the Ombudsman, ensuring for the clan tremendous leverage in national politics.
FAMILY CONTROVERSIES
In 2022, prior to becoming Justice Secretary, Boying’s son was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport for a parcel of P1.3 million high grade marijuana.
He vowed not to intervene, but people said the son was given kid gloves (unlike arrested ordinary Filipinos who are roughed up and made to confess). A few months later, the son was acquitted. There is no publicly-available proof that Boying intervened.
Last year, Boying earned accolades for leading the crackdown on the outlawed POGOs. He also emerged as a key figure in the administration’s legal actions against Guo Hua Ping, aka Alice Guo, who was elected mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.
But some people refer to the fact that his own family was linked to the POGO industry through its 30-hectare property referred to as the Island Cove which hosted the biggest POGO hub in the country.
KEEPING HANDS CLEAN
Following reports that the family-owned property was sold to First Orient International Ventures Corp., the Remulla brothers – then Justice Secretary Boying and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic – managed to “keep their hands clean” from the illegal POGO.
However, Rappler’s investigative report exposed the suspicious turnover of FOIVC’s operations. FOIVC is said to be owned by Boying along with brother, Gilbert but in 2019 it already had a new set of officers– Kevin and Kathryn Wong, children of controversial Chinese businessman, Kim Wong, who was implicated in 2016 heist of Bangladesh’s central bank.
Though they might have had no direct involvement in its conversion into POGO hub, their transaction with an individual of unscrupulous record with the law is a cause for concern, said the blog at Defiant.com.
JONVIC’S PALACE BID
Setting aside these controversies, most concerning is DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s plan to run for president in 2028, pinning hopes on securing Marcos’ anointment in view of their (Boying and Jonvic) pivotal role in the successful arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by Interpol and his transfer to the Hague.
Should this materialize, it is a dangerous power imbalance to have one brother as the president, the other the Ombudsman, that imperils our democracy. The latter could protect his Chief Executive brother’s own allies from corruption suits, and conversely target their political opponents with bogus corruption investigations.
Apart from being the most influential political dynasty, this would smack of empire building rather than genuine public service, Defiant.com said.
Power when concentrated in one family will be abused and bastardized to retain power. There are enough examples in our political pasts that prove this too risky a possibility.
