Ombudsman Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla was in Washington, D.C. for important meetings with the US Department of Justice. Significantly, his team requested the Philippine embassy to arrange a dialogue with leaders and representatives of Filipino American organizations, community groups and professional associations to discuss issues that involve accountability and governance.
One major topic that dominated the conversations was the massive corruption scandal involving flood control projects that Filipino Americans have been closely following. Everyone – not only those present during the special dialogue with Ombudsman Remulla – from Washington to Manila and countries across the globe, are all asking: why is the biggest fish – who should be held accountable – still not being charged?
This issue cuts deep because Fil-Ams are the biggest contributors to remittances and charitable projects to the Philippines. To many of them, this is about protecting homes, businesses, communities and the very lives of Filipinos from the increasingly destructive and fatal consequences of floods due to climate change/natural disasters, aggravated by insufficient protection due to substandard and inexistent or ‘ghost’ flood control projects.
Every year, countless Filipinos endure the same cycle – heavy rains, clogged canals and creeks, rising floodwaters, damaged homes, paralyzed business activities and tragic loss of life. Entire communities are displaced. Children are traumatized. Families lose everything.
That is why allegations that trillions of pesos allocated for flood mitigation may have been lost to corruption have triggered nationwide anger, with social media also sparking online rage because of posts that depict the plight of ordinary Filipinos wading in knee deep and dirty floodwaters, their homes submerged – in contrast with the Facebook photos and TikTok videos of the wives and ‘nepo babies’ of politicians and contractors accused of corruption flying in private jets, wearing expensive jewelry and designer outfits, flaunting their lavish lifestyles and obscene wealth. Public anger is not simply about stolen money – it is about stolen protection. Funds that were intended to save lives may have instead been siphoned into the pockets of a few.
Ombudsman Remulla gave updates about the high-profile investigations that their office is conducting, knowing fully well that the issue involves ‘serious concerns on public accountability, transparency and the protection of public resources.’
He also had confidential meetings with officials of the US Department of Justice and the World Bank whose Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) unit conducts investigations on alleged fraud, corruption, collusion and coercion to ensure that the bank’s financial resources are used to alleviate poverty and not used for illicit activities.
The World Bank also partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to establish the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) that seeks to end safe havens for corrupt funds and help developing nations recover stolen public assets to help fight corruption and end impunity. The UNODC estimates that ‘hundreds of billions of dollars are paid in bribes and hundreds of billions ‘laundered’ around the world each year.’
According to the Office of the Ombudsman, 209 complaints involving flood control projects are undergoing fact-finding investigations in the first six months of this year alone, with four cases already filed before the courts – more than double the 124 complaints last year that underwent fact-finding investigations, with 36 proceeding to preliminary investigation and/or administrative adjudication.
Ombudsman Boying knows the work is enormous and would require cooperation with regional groups such as the Southeast Asian Ombudsman Forum or SEAOF, a regional platform composed of independent government watchdogs and anti-corruption agencies across Southeast Asia. As part of case building, member-countries exchange best practices on intelligence-gathering, digital forensics and asset-recovery protocols to track down illicit funds across borders.
We were pleased to hear from Ombudsman Boying that there are so many young idealistic lawyers coming from top schools such as UP, Ateneo, La Salle and several other schools who have come forward and contribute to the good of the country, like Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Mico Clavano and Assistant Ombudsman for Internal Affairs Luigi Bonoan, whom I was pleased to meet at our Philippine embassy event.
One can’t really blame Filipinos for feeling suspicious and cynical, having seen the same story countless times: scandal erupts. Headlines explode all over. Public outrage intensifies. Investigations begin. Hearings are televised nationwide. But then nothing happens.
The ombudsman’s office carries a heavy burden. It must prove that the rule of law still matters and that public office remains a public trust. Boying told me about the medical issues he went through and truly believes he has this calling in life as ombudsman. He said, ‘Our office stands at the forefront of addressing one of the most significant governance challenges confronting our country. I will do my job without fear or favor.’
If credible evidence points to wrongdoing, charges will be filed swiftly, fairly and without fear or favor. No sacred cows. No political exemptions. No selective justice.
If institutions act decisively, the message will be powerful: corruption has consequences. That message can restore confidence in governance, encourage honest public servants and reassure citizens that justice remains possible.
Even the strongest democracies face scandals and corruption, but what separates strong institutions from weak ones is accountability. If this flood control scandal fades into silence, public cynicism will deepen – and that is dangerous. When people stop believing institutions can work, they disengage. Dysfunction becomes normalized. Corruption becomes harder to uproot.
The question now foremost in the minds of Filipinos is this: will those entrusted with public service rise to the occasion as national heroes – or will they be remembered as national villains who betrayed public trust? The answer lies with the Office of the Ombudsman.