Jamaine Punzalan

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

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OMBUDSMAN

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178841195373320251009-ombudsman-remulla-MT16.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><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 October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he was not applying for the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice despite the impending mandatory retirement of incumbent Alexander Gesmundo.</p><p>“I&#x27;m not applying,” Remulla told reporters during his office&#x27;s 2027 budget briefing before the Senate Finance Committee.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/1/jbc-invites-five-most-senior-sc-justices-to-apply-for-chief-justice-position-1213">JBC invites five most senior SC justices to apply for Chief Justice position </a></div><p>During the proceedings, Remulla noted that he recently spoke with SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen about “many cases” where the Ombudsman’s decisions were reversed by the Court of Appeals. </p><p>“That is a trend that&#x27;s known to the whole Office of the Ombudsman,” Remulla told Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. “I told him (Leonen) about this problem that we have because institutionally, it&#x27;s very discouraging to be conducting all of these activities only to be reversed by the Court of Appeals decision that came out of nowhere.” </p><p>“I could not honor that kind of logic because he had been dismissed already. And if you will be reversed in your dismissal, what then is the power given to us if that will be the case?” the official continued. “As a lawyer, it&#x27;s not really common for lawyers to complain about the courts. But sometimes we just have to raise that issue already because it can be the biggest elephant in the room, within our justice system.” </p><p>He said the judiciary “has to be examined closely by everybody in government.” </p><p>“They themselves should go on a soul searching so that we can be a better country,” he added. </p><p>Remulla recalled that when he was still justice secretary, he was part of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council that involved the courts, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Interior and Local Government to coordinate efforts. </p><p>“Probably we need one that will include the Ombudsman so that the wheels of justice will grind faster,” he said. </p><p>“If there&#x27;s one thing that was never touched with all the EDSAs that happened to this country, [it] is the judiciary. Never has the judiciary accounted for everything that they&#x27;ve been doing,” he said. “It&#x27;s actually a problem that has been there for the longest time, but it has to be said openly. I&#x27;m daring to do this because I have no more aspirations.” </p><p>Remulla later on explained to the media what prompted his comment. </p><p>“I think my experience as a lawyer and as a government official, as an advocate, I think, it speaks for itself… It&#x27;s something that I have to do for the country,” he said. </p><p>— Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED STORIES:</strong></div><div><strong></strong><a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/news/nation/2026/9/1/sc-affidavit-of-desistance-cannot-be-used-as-basis-for-dismissal-of-trafficking-case-1503">SC: Affidavit of desistance cannot be used as basis for dismissal of trafficking case </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/2/sc-says-homeowners-associations-cannot-restrict-members-use-of-subdivision-roads-1128">Supreme Court: Homeowners’ associations can&#x27;t restrict members’ use of subdivision roads </a> <br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/12/sc-dismisses-petition-to-compel-release-of-senate-s-partial-flood-control-report-1619">SC dismisses petition to compel release of Senate’s partial flood control report </a><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/12/sc-dismisses-petition-to-compel-release-of-senate-s-partial-flood-control-report-1619"></a><strong><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/12/sc-dismisses-petition-to-compel-release-of-senate-s-partial-flood-control-report-1619"></a></strong></div>

<p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he was not applying for the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice despite the impending mandatory retirement of incumbent Alexander Gesmundo.</p>

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he was not applying for the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice despite the impending mandatory retirement of incumbent Alexander Gesmundo.

Remulla says he won’t apply for chief justice, urges judiciary to go on soul searching

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Remulla says he won’t apply for chief justice, urges judiciary to go on soul searching

ABS-CBN News

Published September 03, 2026 01:09 PM PHT

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