Jamaine Punzalan

Senator Joel Villanueva joins the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176119331788520250918-senate-flood-control-villanueva-JC0760.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Joel Villanueva joins the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Thursday said a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/16/ombudsman-orders-dismissal-of-joel-villanueva">dismissal order</a> against Sen. Joel Villanueva had been dismissed back in 2019.</p><p>Martires’ successor Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier in the day said he would <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/23/ombudsman-to-ask-senate-to-enforce-2016-dismissal-order-of-joel-villanueva-0912">ask the Senate to enforce a 2016 dismissal order</a> against Villanueva for the alleged misuse of his 2008 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel as a congressman.</p><p>But Martires told ABS-CBN News in a text message that he “granted the motion for reconsideration” of Villanueva which sought to reverse the dismissal order. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/16/jurisdiction-issue-hounds-villanueva-dismissal-order">Jurisdiction issue hounds Villanueva dismissal order </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/12/06/16/senate-defies-ombudsman-on-joel-villanueva-suspension">Senate defies Ombudsman on Joel Villanueva suspension</a></div><p>Villanueva also presented excerpts from what appeared to be a 2019 Ombudsman decision which dismissed the malversation case against him. </p><p>“In fact, there is no probable cause against Villanueva… The signatures appearing on top of his name were obviously forged,” the excerpt read. </p><p>The senator also shared screenshots of clearances from the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan clarifying that he had no pending criminal or administrative cases. </p><p>He said his office secured the clearances in anticipation of the filing of cases against what he called &quot;fake news spreaders&quot;. </p><p>“We already anticipated possible HARASSMENT 🙏 plus FAKE NEWS,” Villanueva added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/16/villanueva-on-dismissal-nakapanggagalit-nakapanglulumo">Villanueva on dismissal: Nakapanggagalit, nakapanglulumo</a></div><p>In 2016, then Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the dismissal from service of Villanueva, a former CIBAC party-list representative. </p><p>But the Senate legal counsel at the time, lawyer Maria Valentina Cruz, said the Ombudsman has no power to punish or evict from power any member of Congress, citing Section 21 of RA 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989. </p><p>The Constitution and the Senate rules say only the Senate has the power to suspend or dismiss from service any of its members after an investigation by the ethics committee, she noted. </p><p>Sen. Vicente Sotto III, the then chairperson of the Senate Committee on Rules, filed a motion to adopt the legal opinion of Cruz. </p><div><strong>— With reports from Mio Cruz and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wmZZhFLq8Uk" title="Ombudsman to ask Senate to enforce 2016 dismissal order vs Joel Villanueva | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AIP7JYVT-4M" title="‘Set-up!’: Sen. Joel, nagsalita sa JIL anniversary vs isyu ng flood control projects | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Thursday said a dismissal order against Sen. Joel Villanueva had been dismissed back in 2019.</p>

Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Thursday said a dismissal order against Sen. Joel Villanueva had been dismissed back in 2019.

Martires says dismissal order vs Joel Villanueva junked in 2019

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Martires says dismissal order vs Joel Villanueva junked in 2019

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 23, 2025 12:26 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 23, 2025 04:19 PM PHT

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Ombudsman

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