Inihayag ni Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla nitong Martes na 209 mga reklamo kaugnay ng mga flood control project ang nasa ilalim ng fact-finding investigation para sa unang anim na buwan ng 2026, na doble sa rekord nito na 124 mga reklamo noong nakaraang taon.
Ito ang inanunsyo ni Remulla sa isang video message sa Southeast Asian Ombudsman Forum (SEAOF) na pinangunahan ng Pilipinas.
Kasalukuyang nasa New York si Remulla para sa ika-7 Global Conference on Sustainable Development sa UN Headquarters.
“Our office stands at the forefront of addressing one of the most significant governance challenges confronting our country. The investigation of flood control infrastructure projects involves serious concerns on public accountability, transparency, and the protection of public resources. To date, the office has acted on a substantial number of complaints. In 2025 alone, 124 complaints underwent fact-finding investigation, and 36 proceeded to preliminary investigation and or administrative adjudication,” sabi ni Remulla.
“In 2026, these efforts intensified with 209 complaints undergoing fact-finding investigation, with several cases advancing to formal proceedings, and finally, four cases filed before the courts. But beyond these numbers is a deeper responsibility to strengthen public trust and demonstrate that accountability institutions can respond with independence, fairness, professionalism, and resolve,” dagdag pa niya.
Gayunpaman, sinabi ni Remulla na sa trabaho ng Ombudsman, kailangan ang tulong ng mga regional platform gaya ng SEAOF. Nakatakdang tanggapin sa naturang samahan ang Ombudsman ng Sarawak na si Dator Shrey Abdul Gafur Sharif, bilang pinakabagong miyembro,
“To Chief Ombudsman Dator Shrey Abdul Gafur Sharif and colleagues, thank you for your patience, trust, and commitment throughout this process since your expression of interest last year. Your admission is more than the completion of membership formalities. It is the beginning of a deeper partnership founded on shared values and a common aspiration to advance accountability and good governance across Southeast Asia,” sabi niya.
Pinasalamatan din ni Remulla ang United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) sa pagpapatuloy na pakikipagtulungan nito sa SEAOF, partikular sa pagsasagawa ng SEAOF Comparative Study at pangangasiwa sa pagbuo ng CEAF Strategic Roadmap 2027-2028 noong Senior Officials Meeting sa Maynila noong Marso.
"These initiatives have strengthened our understanding of one another's institutional models and helped transform our shared aspirations into a clearer path for regional cooperation and long-term impact,” dagdag pa ni Remulla.
Sa isang hiwalay na panayam, sinabi ni Deputy Ombudsman Jose Balmeo na maaaring gamitin ng bansa ang kooperasyon ng SEAOF kapag dumating ang panahon na kailangang i-freeze ang mga ari-arian ng mga sangkot sa iskandalo sa flood control projects.
“That [regional cooperation] may be an avenue that we could consider. We hope that if ever that comes, we’ll be able to speed up the process due to our regional cooperation,” sabi ni Balmeo. – Llanesca T. Panti/FRJ GMA News
