Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla took his oath as ombudsman on Thursday.
He was sworn in by Acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen at the Supreme Court in Manila.
Flood control
In an interview after the ceremony, Remulla said he intends to prioritize addressing the flood control corruption scandal.
‘I think this is an emergency situation in the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways). We have to focus on case build-up and make sure that well-prepared cases are filed before the Sandiganbayan and Regional Trial Courts, whichever applies,’ he said in Filipino.
Asked if there is already a timeline for filing the cases, Remulla said it would depend on the evidence they have.
‘But we’re already gathering a lot of evidence. We’ll make sure everything is complete because we don’t want to be the cause of any delay,’ he explained in Filipino.
‘So the timeline will depend on that, but most likely it will be within the next few weeks. Once we file, we’ll be ready for trial,’ he added.
Criticisms
When asked to comment on critics of his appointment as ombudsman, Remulla shrugged it off, saying he expected it from those operating ‘in a political sphere.’
‘That’s just the way it is. They operate in a political sphere; I operate from a legal sphere,’ he said.
Before his appointment, Remulla served as Secretary of the Department of Justice under the Marcos administration.
He said he already has someone in mind to replace him but has not yet informed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who it will be.