DAVAO CITY — Tension is rising after the camp of Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte asked the Office of the Ombudsman to clarify reports of an alleged “clearance” issued to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla—despite facing multiple charges tied to the March 11 arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a letter dated September 20, Baste Duterte’s lawyers wrote to Acting Ombudsman Dante Vargas and Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Anderson Lo, demanding answers.
“Our office vehemently objects to any issuance of an Ombudsman Clearance in favor of Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. As of writing, we have not been informed of any dismissal of the cases filed,” the lawyers stressed.
The Circulating “Clearance”
According to Duterte’s legal team, led by Atty. Israelito Torreon, they received reports of a document circulating on social media—allegedly from “concerned Ombudsman employees.” The letter supposedly claimed that Remulla had already been cleared and that the cases filed by Mayor Duterte were “un-docked.”
For the camp of the young Duterte, such a move would mean the complaints were unfairly set aside without due process, since the respondents had not even filed their counter-affidavits.
The Complaints Filed
On September 15, Baste Duterte formally filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for Mindanao. Those charged alongside Remulla include:
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Interior Secretary Juan Victor Remulla
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Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro
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National Security Adviser Eduardo Año
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Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty
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Former PNP Chiefs Gen. Nicolas Torre III and Rommel Marbil
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PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo
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Markus Lacanilao, Anthony Alcantara, Richard Anthony Fadullon
They face serious accusations ranging from kidnapping and arbitrary detention to qualified direct assault, usurpation of judicial functions, and graft under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Remulla Fights Back
Justice Secretary Remulla, however, dismissed the charges as politically motivated. He claimed the complaints were timed deliberately to derail his bid for the top Ombudsman post.
“It’s really an organized effort to shoot down my candidacy as Ombudsman,” Remulla said. “They timed it to make it impossible for me to comply with the JBC requirements.”
He also accused Duterte’s camp of “forum shopping,” pointing out that there’s already a pending petition before the Supreme Court.
A Brewing Political Battle
What began as a legal filing has now exploded into a high-stakes political clash—pitting the Duterte camp against one of the country’s most powerful Cabinet members, at a time when the Ombudsman seat is on the line.
For many, the unanswered question remains: Was a clearance really issued, or is this another twist in a growing power struggle?
