New Ombudsman? No shortlist yet — SC spox

Supreme Court (SC) spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has yet to issue a shortlist for the position of Ombudsman.

“There is no shortlist yet,” Ting said in a message to reporters over the weekend.

This comes amid Senator Imee Marcos’ statement Sunday that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla will be appointed as Ombudsman on Monday, October 8, 2025.

Selection process

From August 28, Thursday to September 2, Tuesday, the JBC interviewed a total of 17 applicants for Ombudsman.

Ting previously said that the JBC will hold a final deliberations before issuing a shortlist.

Following this, she said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will choose the next Ombudsman from the shortlist.

“Under the Constitution, si Presidente meron po siyang deadline of three months to appoint the next Ombudsman from the date of vacancy… so si Presidente kailangan po siya mag appoint by October 25,” she had said.

(Under the Constitution, the President has a deadline of three months to appoint the next Ombudsman from the date of vacancy… so the president needs to make the appointment by October 25.)

The appointed official will replace former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, whose term expired on July 27. They will serve a fixed term of seven years without reappointment.

The Office of the Ombudsman handles the complaints filed against high-ranking government officials and those occupying supervisory positions, complaints involving grave offenses as well as complaints involving large sums of money and/or properties.

The JBC is composed of the Chief Justice as ex officio chairman, the Secretary of Justice, a representative of the Congress as ex officio members, a representative of the Integrated Bar, a professor of law, a retired member of the Supreme Court, and a representative of the private sector. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA Integrated News