MANILA, Philippines — Lawyers representing Davao City Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte have formally requested the Office of the Ombudsman to clarify reports claiming that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla was issued an Ombudsman clearance despite pending complaints against him.
In a letter dated Sept. 20, 2025, addressed to Acting Ombudsman Dante Vargas and Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Anderson Lo, Duterte’s legal team expressed “grave concern” over social media reports suggesting that Remulla had been cleared of charges lodged before the anti-graft body.
The lawyers said the reports originated from an unsigned letter allegedly from “concerned Ombudsman employees” addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., claiming that complaints filed by Duterte on behalf of his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, were “un-docketed.”
Sebastian Duterte filed criminal and administrative complaints against Remulla on Sept. 15. His lawyers emphasized that they have not received any official notice from the Ombudsman indicating that these complaints were undocketed.
Citing a May 5, 2025 circular instituting “automatic docketing” of complaints, the lawyers stressed that the rule remained in effect unless formally revoked. They argued that any retroactive revocation would contradict the Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate to act promptly on complaints against public officials.
The letter further warned that issuing a clearance to Remulla would be “unjustified,” noting that, aside from Duterte’s complaint, other cases against the Justice Secretary remain pending, including one filed by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio concerning the controversy involving Alice Guo and Cassandra Ong.
“We vehemently object to any issuance of an Ombudsman Clearance in favor of Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla,” the lawyers said, highlighting that respondents in these cases have not yet filed counter-affidavits.
They urged the Ombudsman to disclose the current status of Duterte’s complaints, clarify whether the automatic docketing rule has been revoked, and confirm if any clearance has been issued in favor of Remulla.
Quoting Article XI, Section 12 of the Constitution, the lawyers reminded the anti-graft body that “the Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protectors of the people, shall act promptly on complaints filed in any form or manner against public officials or employees of the government.”
Remulla is among 17 aspirants for the top Ombudsman post–a position that requires certification from the Office of the Ombudsman confirming that the candidate has no pending criminal, administrative, or graft-related cases. Such a clearance is typically required for appointment eligibility, confirmation in office, and other administrative purposes, serving as a safeguard to ensure public officials meet constitutional and statutory standards of integrity and transparency. In Remulla’s case, the clearance would formally verify that no ongoing complaints could disqualify him from the Ombudsman post.
