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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider SOJ Remulla gets OMB clearance for his application for Ombudsman's post

SOJ Remulla gets OMB clearance for his application for Ombudsman's post

Published Sep 24, 2025 04:30 pm
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said he has secured a clearance that he has no pending cases before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB).
The clearance is required by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to consider the application of Remulla and 16 other applicants for the Ombudsman’s post that was vacated last July 27 by then Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires.
Remulla did not disclose the contents of the clearance issued by the OMB.
The JBC is a constitutional office that accepts, screens and nominates appointments to the judiciary, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Legal Education Board. It is headed by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo as ex-officio chairperson.
The council deferred to a later date its deliberations set last Sept. 19, to determine who among the 17 applicants would be nominated for the post of Ombudsman.
In an advisory, the Supreme Court’s Office of the Spokesperson said the JBC’s deliberation will be reset to a later date to give more time to Sen. Francis Pangilinan to review the qualifications of the applicants.
Pangilinan, chairperson of the Senate Justice Committee, took over the post as ex-officio member of the Senate from Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Aside from Remulla the applicants are SC Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, retired SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi.
The other applicants are Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Bautista Corpin Jr., retired CA associate justice and incumbent Philippine Postal Corporation Chairman Stephen Cruz, Daraga, Albay Municipal Trial Court Judge Jason Rodenas and retired Laoag City Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge Benjamin Turgano.
Also applicants are former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares, former Commission on Audit chairman and incumbent Philippine Competition Commission Chairman Michael Aguinaldo, Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres, Deputy Executive Secretary Lisa Logan, Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for External, Legal and Legislative Affairs Romeo Benitez, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Chairman and retired Marikina RTC judge Felix Reyes, PDP Laban secretary-general Melvin Matibag and Jonie Caroche, a member of the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group.
At least three nominees are expected to be submitted by the JBC to President Marcos who will appoint the next Ombudsman.
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