The Supreme Court (SC) is launching an inventory of all infrastructure projects within the judiciary that may have been contracted to or undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen said this in a message to newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla during a speech before administering his oath of office on Thursday, October 9.
Leonen said that the Supreme Court en banc has agreed to create a working committee to inventory judiciary projects that are possibly tied to DPWH projects, if there are any.
“Already we are installing the reforms needed not only to digitally transform, but to ensure integrity also within our ranks. We have a public email address integrity@judiciary.gov.ph that we have made available to all stakeholders including litigants as their avenue to inform us even confidentially of any corruption within our ranks,” Leonen said.
“The Court en banc has also agreed to create a working committee to inventory any and all projects within the judiciary that might have been contracted to and undertaken by the DPWH if any, and to report soonest to the Chief Justice as their status,” he added.
Leonen, however, did not mention any specific projects.
On Thursday, Remulla took his oath of office before Leonen at the Supreme Court.
He succeeds former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, whose term expired on July 27.
Remulla’s former office, the Department of Justice (DOJ), along with other agencies such as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, is probing government officials and contractors over alleged corruption in flood control projects.
The DOJ is currently evaluating several contractors and district engineers on their eligibility to be possible state witnesses.