Who is incoming Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla?

“The deadline is always yesterday.”

It’s a line that outgoing Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla often repeated during his time at the Department of Justice (DOJ), a mantra that he says will continue to guide him when he officially takes on the role of Ombudsman. 

“‘Yan ang sinasabi ko lagi. Kaya there’s always a sense of urgency with what we do here in the office. The backlog is always there to address. Ganoon din sa Ombudsman. The same rule applies to the Ombudsman’s office,” he said.

(That’s what I always say. That’s why there’s always a sense of urgency with what we do here in the office. The backlog is always there to address. It’s the same with the Ombudsman. The same rule applies to the Ombudsman’s office.)

READ: Marcos appoints DOJ chief Remulla as Ombudsman

But who is Remulla and what are his experiences in public service?

According to the DOJ,  Remulla majored in political science and finished his Bachelor of Law degree at the University of the Philippines (UP).

He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1988, ranking 17th among that year's successful passers.

However, Remulla said he did not immediately enter politics. He began as a private law practitioner at the Remulla and Associates Law office.

“Politics did not become a be-all and end-all of my life. I was formed as a person not because of politics but politics became me later on. Later on, I became involved in politics. As usual, I’m very passionate with what I do,” he said in his interview with the Judicial and Bar Council.

He was later appointed as a Provincial Board Member for the Provincial Government of Cavite from 1992 to 1995 when his father had a stroke.

“I had to carry the cudgels for him, at least for the people in the capitol,” he said.

Despite this, he said he refused to run in the 1995 elections, choosing to resume his practice of private law. 

“Because I had other things to do. I had my law practice, I had my investments to take care of at that time, and I had a growing family. I had five children already at that time,” Remulla said.

“Politics did not become the main preoccupation of my life,” he added.

From 1998 to 2001, Remulla served as an assistant secretary at the Office of the President. He then became the Chief of Staff of Senator Luisa Ejercito Estrada from 2002 to 2003. 

Remulla then served as Representative of the 3rd District of Cavite from 2004 to 2010 and then as Representative of the 7th District from 2010 to 2013.

He was elected Governor from 2016 to 2019 and then returned to the House of Representatives as Representative of the 7th District.

He also served as Senior Deputy Majority Leader from 2019 to 2022.

“I stayed in Congress and only stayed in one Committee for the three terms that I was there. I was in the Rules Committee. Although I became a deputy speaker which is technically still part of the Rules Committee during my third term.”

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed him as Justice Secretary in 2022 after that year’s presidential elections.

In 2025, Remulla made his intentions known as one of 17 aspirants for the post of Ombudsman following the retirement of Samuel Martires, whose term as Ombudsman expired on July 27.

Remulla submitted his application to the Judicial and Bar Council, which conducted the interviews and deliberation needed to come up with a shortlist of recommended appointees to the President.

The JBC is composed of the Supreme Court Chief Justice as ex officio chairman, the Secretary of Justice, and 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.

As Ombudsman, Remulla will serve a fixed term of seven years without reappointment.

He has reiterated that he will not weaponize the his new position against opponents. He will be formally sworn in on Thursday, Oct. 9.

“One thing I intend to do is to do away with the Ombudsman, the Office of the Ombudsman, used as a weapon against people,” he then told the JBC.

“Too many cases filed, in-partisan politics, which some [are] meritorious and some are not very meritorious. And I think we have to do away with many of these that are really meant there to harass people,” he added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News