Vanguard of accountability

Proving speculative reports correct, President Marcos has picked Jesus Crispin Remulla as the new ombudsman. The former secretary of justice is expected to change course from his predecessor, who was seen to have gone against the constitutional mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman to serve as a vanguard of transparency and accountability in public office.

While applying for his new post, Remulla had committed to reverse the restrictions imposed by Samuel Martires on the release of public officials’ statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. Section 17, Article 11 of the Constitution expressly states that the SALN “shall be disclosed to the public in the manner provided by law.”

The detailed manner is provided under Section 8 of Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, enacted in 1989. The public disclosure requirement for the SALN was complied with by public officials and employees until Martires was appointed by Rodrigo Duterte as ombudsman.

Apart from restoring compliance with the SALN disclosure rules, Remulla will be taking over the Office of the Ombudsman in the middle of the massive corruption scandal in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Besides getting recommendations from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the ombudsman is expected to conduct its own probes related to the scandal. Remulla has vowed that there will be no sacred cows – a suspicion that has started hounding the ICI this early as well as the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

Inevitably, he will also be wading into political turbulence as the ombudsman tackles corruption charges raised by various groups against Sara Duterte in her capacity as Vice President and previously as secretary of education.

The ombudsman is one of the pillars of accountability, defending the principle enshrined in the Constitution that public office is a public trust.

“Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives,” the Constitution declares. It is the task of the ombudsman to help ensure that those lines are not relegated to a mere best-efforts pledge.

Remulla actively pursued appointment to the Office of the Ombudsman. Now that he has attained his objective, he must show that he is up to the task. And he must hit the ground running.