Justice Secretary Remulla questions Ombudsman’s ‘rushed’ order
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla. Photo from the Official page of Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla
MANILA, Philippines — “Why the rush?”
That was the question raised by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla after the Ombudsman ordered him and four others to submit their counter-affidavits over alleged violations related to the possible turnover of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Remulla told reporters that they will respond to the Ombudsman’s order but said he found it “weird” that it is based on a chairman’s report, not on a committee report.
“We will respond to each issue, that everything happened within legal bounds. All of that was done according to the law,” Remulla told reporters in Filipino.
“It’s just that, the complaint itself felt a bit weird to me because it wasn’t even a committee report. Why the haste? Why not wait for the committee report. What was contained in the transmittal letter to the Ombudsman was the Chairman’s report,” he added.
A chairman’s report is a summary of the committee’s work, including the chairman’s personal perspective while a committee report is a formal document outlining the committee’s findings and recommendations following an investigation.
On May 2, Senator Imee Marcos asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate Remulla, his brother, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Chief Nicolas Torre III, and Special Envoy for Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao
The committee on foreign affairs was probing the legality of Duterte’s arrest.
In less than a week, the Ombudsman ordered the officials to submit their counter-affidavit over allegations of graft, usurpation of authority, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
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