Ombudsman denies targeting Senate minority

As the Office of the Ombudsman tackles the obstruction of justice complaint filed against several senators, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday denied targeting the new Senate minority bloc.

“No such thing. Remember, the people in jail now— many of them were our allies from the very beginning. That’s just the way it is. Lahat naman tinatamaan dito eh, wala namang sinisino ito,” Remulla said in a press briefing.

(No such thing. Remember, the people in jail now—many of them were our allies from the very beginning. That’s just the way it is. Everyone is affected by this; no one is being singled out.)

He issued the remark when asked about possible criticism that his office is targeting the minority bloc should it decide that there is enough evidence to file a case.

To recall, a complaint for obstruction of justice was filed against Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Robin Padilla as well as former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca over Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate premises despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.

Meanwhile, Remulla said that the case build-up for Senators Joel Villanueva and Francis “Chiz” Escudero is ongoing, two former minority senators who have moved to the majority bloc.

“Tuloy ‘yan. Ginagawa pa rin namin lahat ‘yan,” he said when asked about the graft case against Escudero.

(That is ongoing. We are doing everything.)

“Alam mo, when you have 500 possible cases to file— ang dating kasi ng mga ebidensya diyan, iba’t ibang level eh. Hindi naman reliable lahat kaya dapat susuriin mo ng husto,” he added.

(You know, when you have 500 possible cases to file, the evidence that comes in has different levels. Not all of it is reliable, so you have to examine it very carefully.)

He said that they are still at the fact-finding stage.

When asked about Villanueva’s case, he said it was the “same.”

In March, the Department of Justice (DOJ) endorsed to the Ombudsman its findings on the malversation complaint against Villanueva over alleged ghost flood control projects.

Remulla said the DOJ's recommendation to file charges against Villanueva did not meet the anti-graft body's standards.

“Kasi nga diba, ‘yung binigay ng DOJ was not enough for us eh. Hindi namin kaya ifile ‘yun,” he said.—LDF, GMA News