Ombudsman calls for graft watch on all government branches

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday urged the public to remain vigilant over all branches of government, saying graft and corruption are rampant not only in the executive and legislative branches but also in the judiciary.

“All of us, the entire country, I am asking you to help us with graft watches. Watch everybody in the executive, legislative, judiciary. Let us watch all of them, even (those in) the constitutional commissions,” Remulla said in a mix of English and Filipino during his weekly radio program “Executive Session” on dzRH.

Remulla joined the program amid rumors circulating on social media on Friday claiming that he had been rushed to the hospital.

He dismissed the reports as fake news, telling his co-hosts that he had merely gone to the gym on Saturday morning, which caused him to arrive late for the show.

During the discussion, the conversation shifted to the acquittal of several high-profile figures implicated in major corruption scandals, including the pork barrel and fertilizer fund scams.

“No one was convicted. The Sandiganbayan is also very good at acquitting accused individuals. It has every possible reason to acquit,” Remulla said.

He cited the acquittal of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante in connection with the P723-million fertilizer fund scam in 2004.

In 2016, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division dismissed the plunder case against Bolante – alleged to be the mastermind of the scam – and seven other former Department of Agriculture officials, citing the Office of the Ombudsman’s failure to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

“The corruption in our government, don’t say that it is only in the executive or legislative. Corruption is rampant even in the judiciary. So, let us all watch the judges, the justices, let us closely watch all of them,” Remulla said.

“The problem is that a judge can easily find a way to acquit,” he added.

Remulla also pointed to the acquittals of most high-profile figures charged in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, with the exception of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, several low-ranking officials of government-owned corporations and officials of Napoles-linked non-government organizations.

“Just think about it – this PDAF scam – do you really believe that all those who were acquitted were innocent? That’s a farce. There’s too much nonsense involved. Too many ‘miracles’ happened at the Sandiganbayan,” he said.

The Sandiganbayan earlier cleared Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and the late former senator and presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile of plunder charges linked to the PDAF scam.

Still, Remulla acknowledged that some cases are dismissed due to inordinate delays by the prosecution, aside from alleged lobbying efforts by defense lawyers.

He stressed that prosecutors must complete the presentation of their cases within a year.

“That’s how it should be. A lawyer who cannot set a hearing five to 10 times in one year, you change him, you replace him. You should have a substitute lawyer,” Remulla said.

To strengthen prosecution efforts, Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman will hire 20 new lawyers by Jan. 15.

He said the new prosecutors have extensive litigation experience and can attend hearings “even on a daily basis.”

Remulla also reiterated that more individuals – including incumbent and former senators and congressmen – will be charged before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the flood control scam.