Civic group Tindig Pilipinas has urged newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to investigate allegations forming the basis of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a two-page letter dated October 20, the group said the Ombudsman has the duty to ‘look into any serious misconduct in the office allegedly committed by officials removable by impeachment.’
‘Your appointment to the Office of the Ombudsman comes at the heels of the darkest era of that venerable institution,’ the letter read. ‘With cautious optimism, we hope that your good office will once again be a true protector of the people as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.’
The group said its call is made ‘in the capacity of citizen-complainants in the impeachment of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte,’ urging Remulla to ‘urgently investigate the grave allegations’ tied to the case.
‘Stand against impunity’
The group pressed the Ombudsman to ‘make a firm stand against this display of impunity,’ recalling Duterte’s earlier assault on a Davao court sheriff when she was city mayor – an incident for which she avoided sanctions.
‘We cannot allow a culture of impunity to take root, where actions that threaten our democratic stability and public accountability are simply forgotten, or worse, seen as a new acceptable standard for our leaders,’ Tindig Pilipinas wrote.
The letter further called for a ‘comprehensive and impartial investigation’ to help restore public trust and uphold the rule of law.
Remulla, who assumed office on October 7, wields the authority to investigate and prosecute public officials accused of graft, corruption, or misconduct under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and related laws.
The Ombudsman’s jurisdiction extends to abuse of authority, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes involving public office.
Duterte’s impeachment background. Duterte, who does not enjoy presidential immunity, was impeached by the House of Representatives in February 2025, with 215 of 306 lawmakers signing and verifying the complaint before it was transmitted to the Senate for trial.
The impeachment complaint accused her of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery, conspiracy to commit murder, and other high crimes.
Specific charges included public death threats allegedly made by Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
However, the Supreme Court struck down the impeachment complaint in July, ruling it unconstitutional for violating the one-year ban on filing successive impeachment cases.