SOJ Remulla to ask Ombudsman to dismiss complaint on arrest of ex-Pres Duterte last March
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said on Tuesday, Sept. 2, he will ask the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) to immediately resolve the complaint filed against him and his co-respondents on the arrest of former president Rodrigo R. Duterte last March.
“I’ll be filing a motion to resolve as soon as possible,” Remulla told journalists after his interview before the Judicial Bar and Council (JBC) for his application as Ombudsman.
Should the JBC nominate him and President Marcos pick him as Ombudsman, Remulla assured that the OMB will not be used as a weapon in politics.
“The OMB has to be fair. Hindi naman dapat wini-weaponize. It should never be weaponized,” he pointed out.
Last May, Sen. Imee Marcos filed a complaint before the OMB against Remulla and his co-respondents who were accused of arbitrary detention under Article 124 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), usurpation of judicial functions, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and violation of Republic Act No. 7438 which defines the rights of detained persons.
The complaint stemmed from the March 11 arrest of Duterte who is currently detained in The Hague in Netherlands on alleged crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with extrajudicial killings that took place during the drug war.
Remulla expressed belief that the arrest of Duterte was the right thing to do.
“Trabaho namin yun (It’s our job) to keep the country stable, to prevent violence, to prevent the happening of any untoward acts, and I think we were able to peacefully bring him abroad to face the charges against him without hurting anybody physically,” he said.