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Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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OMBUDSMAN

Kaxandra Salonga

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/176120851217220251009-ombudsman-remulla-MT11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he would no longer ask the Senate to implement a 2016 dismissal order against Senator Joel Villanueva following its “secret” reversal.</p><p>Remulal 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">write to the Senate</a> to implement Villanueva’s dismissal over the alleged misuse of his 2008 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) when he was still a congressman.</p><p>But Remulla’s predecessor Samuel Martires told ABS-CBN News that he <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/23/martires-says-dismissal-order-vs-joel-villanueva-junked-in-2019-1226">“granted the motion for reconsideration” </a>of Villanueva which sought to reverse the dismissal order back in 2019.</p><p>“I was surprised by the decision. Lumabas lang siya nung sinabi kong may gagawin ang Ombudsman tungkol dyan. So it’s a surprise secret decision,” Remulla said.</p><p>“Nobody was raising that issue before. Villanueva kept quiet through all the years. Ombudsman Martires never spoke about it,” he added.</p><p>The Senate previously refused to uphold the 2016 order saying it alone can impose penalties or remove its members and not the Ombudsman.</p><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></div><p>Meanwhile, Villanueva on Thursday 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><p>Apart from the PDAF misuse allegations during his tenure as CIBAC party-list representative, Villanueva is also implicated in anomalous flood control projects. He has described the allegations against him as a &quot;set-up.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/19/villanueva-lashes-out-at-critics-amid-flood-control-scandal-0042">Villanueva lashes out at critics amid flood control scandal</a></div>

<p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he would no longer ask the Senate to implement a 2016 dismissal order against Senator Joel Villanueva following its “secret” reversal.</p>

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he would no longer ask the Senate to implement a 2016 dismissal order against Senator Joel Villanueva following its “secret” reversal.

Remulla drops bid to enforce Villanueva dismissal after 'secret' reversal

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Remulla drops bid to enforce Villanueva dismissal after 'secret' reversal

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 23, 2025 04:42 PM PHT

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Ombudsman

Martires

Remulla

Villanueva

Joel Villanueva

dismissal order

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