Newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, who has vowed to prioritize investigations into corruption in flood control projects, took his oath of office on Thursday, Oct. 9, before Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen at the session hall of the Supreme Court (SC) in Manila.
Remulla, who served as Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) since 2022, earlier said he will assume his new post on Friday, Oct. 10.
He was appointed Ombudsman by President Marcos last Oct. 7 from a list of seven nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC). His term of office is seven years.
The officer-in-charge of the DOJ now is Undersecretary Fredderick A. Vida who heads the department’s Finance, Administrative Service, and Personnel Cluster.
In an interview after his appointment as Ombudsman, Remulla vowed to get to the bottom of the corruption in the flood control projects.
He said he will prioritize the complaints filed by the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Nine fraud audit reports have been submitted by the Commission on Audit (COA) on several “ghost” flood-control projects in Bulacan.
Aside from the COA’s reports, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has filed graft and malversation charges against several officials from the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) and private contractors on “ghost and substandard” flood-control projects. (Rey Panaligan)
