JBC screening for ombudsman begins; Remulla still on list

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla’s bid to be the next ombudsman continues as his name appeared on the official list of applicants released by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) yesterday, contrary to a recent online report saying that he was disqualified due to his pending complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman.

On Friday last week, an online report stated that Remulla was disqualified by the JBC.

Remulla as well as the Supreme Court (SC), which has supervision over the JBC, denied the report.

He and several other officials are currently being investigated by the ombudsman for criminal charges of arbitrary detention, usurpation of judicial functions, grave threats, graft, usurpation of authority or official functions, false testimony and perjury stemming from Sen. Imee Marcos’ transmittal of the report of Senate committee on foreign relations, which conducted inquiry hearings on former president Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged illegal arrest and turnover to the International Criminal Court.

Apart from Remulla, other applicants vying for the ombudsman post include SC Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, retired SC associate justice Mario Lopez, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi.

Likewise included in the list of applicants were Court of Appeals Associate Justice Bautista Gler Corpin Jr., incumbent Philippine Postal Corp. chairman Stephen Cruz, Albay Municipal Trial Court Judge Jason Rodenas and retired Laoag City Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Turgano.

Also among the applicants are Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chair Felix Reyes, former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares, Philippine Competition Commission chairman Michael Aguinaldo, Commission on Human Rights commissioner Beda Epres, Office of the President Deputy Executive Secretary Anna Liza Logan, Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Romeo Benitez, PDP Laban secretary-general Melvin Matibag and Jonie Caroche-Vestido, a member of the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group.