Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla takes his oath as the new Ombudsman before Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen in Manila on Wednesday, October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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Marilyn Cahatol

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/1761275263618cropped-20251024031048_1296fd83b090260af3c86c3a7f136293780541d7c9f50941983ae23a95003b8b.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla takes his oath as the new Ombudsman before Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen in Manila on Wednesday, October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>— Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said the Department of Justice is set to file cases against personalities involved in five ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/14/doj-refers-5-bulacan-ghost-project-investigations-to-ombudsman-1358">DOJ refers 5 Bulacan &#x27;ghost project&#x27; investigations to Ombudsman</a></div><p>“Dire-diretso na po ito at ifa-file na iyan ng DOJ at the latest Monday, kasi kumpleto na po yung kaso,” Remulla said during the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the Office of the Ombudsman’s budget for 2026.</p><p>He said the cases filed before the Ombudsman have been transmitted back to the DOJ, which have been &quot;deputized&quot; to proceed to the regional trial courts.</p><p>“Nai-transmit na sa DOJ yung kanilang finile sa amin at na-deputize na po sila na ituloy na yung mga kaso sa RTC. Sapagkat yung mga testigo na nandito sa Senado na kanilang nakausap na, ang mga ebidensiya na kailangang naroon na ay hindi na kailangang aralin pa ng Office of the Ombudsman para magtawag na naman ng testigo,” he said.</p><p>DOJ previously said its investigative reports on the five ghost projects in Bulacan involved district officials, contractors, district engineers, assistant district engineers and project managers. </p><p>The charges filed by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the Department of Public Works and Highways would come next, Remulla said. </p><p>The new Ombudsman noted the office may possibly file the cases with the Sandiganbayan within 30 days due to its “sufficient evidence.”</p><p>“Tingin namin maganda na ang mga ebidensiya, mga dokumento na nakadikit sa complaint kaya kaunting evaluation po iyan. Ang PI po namin ay 60 days ang hinihingi naming na panahon. Sana po within 30 days baka meron nang mai-file sa Sandiganbayan. Posible po yan,” he said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>OMBUDSMAN VOWS SHORTER PROCESSING OF CASES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Remulla, who was appointed as the new Ombudsman last Oct. 7, said his office has begun changing its system to shorten the periods of stages the complaints undergo before they are filed for litigation. </p><p>Charges filed by agencies with certified and sufficient documents as evidence will skip the fact-finding evaluation and proceed immediately to the preliminary investigation, said Remulla.</p><p>“Pag nag-file po ang isang ahensiya at certified na po ang mga dokumento, at ang ebidensiya po ay tatayo na sa korte sa unang tingin namin sa evaluation, ito po ay dinidiretso na namin sa preliminary investigation. Wala na pong fact-finding yan.”</p><p>Then the preliminary investigation, which commonly takes six months to one year, would be concluded within 60 days, Remulla vowed.</p><p>“Kung dati po ay umaabot ng anim na buwan hanggang isang taon ang preliminary investigation, ngayon po ang iginigiit ko po ay gawin na naming within 60 days. Yun po ang aming ginawa sa DOJ dati at tingin ko pwede pong gawin dito,” he said.</p><p>“Kaya dito as I always say, the deadline is always yesterday. Yan ang aming pinaka-theme ng action plan naming sa DOJ, ganun din sa Ombudsman,” he added.</p><p>The Ombudsman added that his office plans to ensure only prima facie cases, or with reasonable certainty of conviction, will be filed with the Sandiganbayan or the regional trial courts.</p><div> </div><div><strong>OVERPRICED PROCUREMENT</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Office of the Ombudsman also vowed to look into the overpriced procurement issue exposed during the Senate budget deliberations.</p><p>Remulla said transparency is key to a more efficient bidding process.</p><p>“Pag ito po ay nalaman ng tao na tayo po ay bumibili ng ballpen na isang libong piso, tingin ko marami pong magagalit at magbi-bid nang mas maayos,” he said.</p><p>“Babantayan po natin, gagawa po tayo ng paraan para may sumbungan po ang publiko tungkol sa bagay na ito,” he added.</p><p>Overpricing procurement is among the tactics previously revealed to be used to corrupt government projects. </p><p>The Philippines Ports Authority, for instance, was ordered to explain its purchase of 191 units of body-worn cameras for P879,000 per unit in 2020, while the Philippine National Police bought the same item for only P135,000 per unit. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/ppa-chief-ordered-to-explain-p168-m-body-camera-procurement-malaca-ang-1908">PPA chief ordered to explain P168-M body camera procurement: Malacañang</a></div><p>The Ombudsman requested the Senate’s notes during its budget deliberations regarding the overpriced procurements. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/akA7c84ZVtY?si=9Q23pTftfkOCwih_" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said the Department of Justice is set to file cases against personalities involved in five ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.</p>

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said the Department of Justice is set to file cases against personalities involved in five ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.

Ombudsman OKs filing of raps vs persons tagged in 5 Bulacan ghost flood projects

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Ombudsman OKs filing of raps vs persons tagged in 5 Bulacan ghost flood projects

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 24, 2025 11:09 AM PHT

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Updated Oct 24, 2025 12:45 PM PHT

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DOJ

Ombudsman

Jesus Crispin Remulla

Ghost projects

flood control projects

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