OMBUDSMAN Jesus Crispin Remulla said the investigation involving former speaker Martin Romualdez is continuing and that charges could be filed once prosecutors are satisfied that the case is strong enough to withstand legal challenges.
Remulla, in an interview, said the Ombudsman was not backing down from its investigation despite efforts to cast doubt on the case, stressing that the agency would not rush to court with weak evidence.
"We are not stopping. We have not stopped, and we are working hard,” Remulla said, adding that developments in the case would “come out very soon.”
Remulla declined to give a specific timetable for the filing of charges, but indicated that the case could be brought to court before the end of the year.
"As long as it’s there, it’s there. I don’t want to give a specific answer. You’ll just see,” he said when asked whether the case would be filed before year-end.
He said the Ombudsman’s objective was to complete the investigation and build a solid case before proceeding with prosecution.
"We just need to finish and complete so that the case is well-made, because we can’t file a weak case,” Remulla said.
The Ombudsman also pointed to the resources available to those who could become respondents in major corruption cases, saying the government must be prepared for extensive legal challenges.
"There's so much money, so many lawyers,” Remulla said, adding that the Ombudsman’s adversary in such cases is ultimately public money.
No recantation
Remulla also rejected claims that a key witness had recanted his testimony in the investigation.
"There's no recantation,” he said, describing reports of a recantation as an attempt to ease pressure on those being investigated.
He said the disputed testimony was only one part of the broader case and accused lawyers of amplifying the issue through media coverage.
"That's only a small part of the case,” Remulla said.
No aspirations
Asked about his decision to speak out on issues involving the judiciary and the government’s anti-corruption campaign, Remulla said he was acting out of a sense of duty rather than political ambition.
"I have no aspirations,” he said.
He said his experience as a lawyer and government official, as well as his advocacy, should speak for itself.
"I have to do it for the country — to tell the people what I believe can be done for the country,” Remulla said.
The Ombudsman has been overseeing investigations into alleged corruption involving government infrastructure projects, including the flood-control scandal that has drawn intense public and congressional scrutiny.
Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman would continue pursuing the cases while observing due process and ensuring that evidence was strong enough to support any charges filed.
