WHILE concurring with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla that court proceedings at all levels that must be accountable to the public, the Supreme Court urged him to file a complaint and show evidence.
In a statement issued Thursday night, Camille Sue Mae Ting, the Supreme Court spokesman, said the court acknowledged and affirmed the Ombudsman’s assertion that judicial proceedings at every level must remain accountable to the people.
Ting said this is not merely a procedural preference — it is a constitutional imperative that lies at the very foundation of the democratic system of governance.
The court does not take lightly any allegation of judicial bias, misconduct, or corruption. Such accusations are at the heart of public confidence in the judiciary, and it treats them with the gravity they deserve, she said.
When formal complaints are properly filed, backed by competent evidence, and when the judges or justices concerned are given their fundamental right to be heard, “the court does not hesitate to act,” Ting said.
However, the court cannot — and will not — proceed on broad, unsubstantiated accusations directed at an entire appellate court, particularly when allegations are based only on public statements made outside the established judicial processes, she said.
“We therefore extend a formal invitation to the Ombudsman, and to all concerned parties, to file the appropriate complaint and submit supporting evidence,” she said.
She recalled the court’s recent unanimous decision in the Heydarian, Cendana, and Gadon case, a ruling that reaffirmed the fundamental right to freedom of expression — including the right to critique the courts and their decisions.
Despite the sharp and strongly worded statements directed at the court over one of its rulings, it chose to uphold the respondents’ constitutional right to free speech and declined to hold them in contempt, Ting pointed out.
In doing so, the court demonstrated its unwavering commitment to the principles of openness and tolerance that define a vibrant democracy.
During the Senate finance committee’s deliberations on the Ombudsman’s proposed 2027 budget on Thursday, Remulla said the judiciary needs to undergo soul-searching to address long-standing problems in the justice system.
“It’s just probably unfortunate that I have to mention this. Many of those that we have dismissed in the Office of the Ombudsman institutionally, in many cases, we’re talking about many, many cases, that were reversed by the Court of Appeals,” Remulla was quoted as saying.
“It’s very discouraging to be conducting all of these activities only to be reversed by the Court of Appeals decision that came out of nowhere,” he said.
