Photo credit: Boying Remulla

Marking his first 100 days as the country’s seventh Ombudsman, Jesus Crispin Remulla made it clear that his term will be defined by transparency, accountability, and the swift, impartial delivery of justice.

“These first one hundred days set the tone. The work will continue — decisive, impartial, and anchored on the people’s trust,” Remulla said in a statement.

From day one, Remulla signaled that the fight against corruption would move forward without fear or favor. Guided by the principle that there are “no sacred cows, no exemptions, and no excuses,” he steered the Office of the Ombudsman toward firm institutional reforms and concrete action, particularly on long-standing and high-impact cases.

One of his earliest moves came within his first week in office, when he issued Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2025, strengthening lawful public access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). The policy boosts transparency while respecting due process and existing laws, and it expressly allows public access even without the consent of the official concerned, subject to legal safeguards. To make the process clearer, a step-by-step guide for SALN requests was also made publicly available.

Remulla said the Office has ramped up case buildup, investigation, and prosecution, especially for cases that have dragged on for years or carry significant public impact.

“Close coordination with law enforcement agencies has been strengthened, allowing prosecutors to engage from the earliest stages of investigation to ensure strong, constitutionally sound cases,” he said.

Responding to widespread public concern, the Ombudsman has also placed flood control projects nationwide under the microscope. This has already led to the filing of graft and malversation charges over substandard and ghost projects in several provinces.

To bring accountability closer to communities, the Resident Ombudsman Program has been revived, allowing for faster fact-finding and quicker action in agencies flagged as high-risk for corruption. At the same time, the Environmental Ombudsman Program has been re-established, targeting corruption linked to environmental violations and holding both public officials and private individuals accountable when they act in conspiracy.

On the institutional side, Remulla pushed through reforms following the issuance of the Revised Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman, aimed “to reduce delays, clarify processes, and strengthen due process, including firm timelines for fact-finding investigations.”

He added that partnerships have also been expanded, highlighted by a landmark Memorandum of Agreement with the Anti-Red Tape Authority, designed to curb bureaucratic inefficiency and improve the ease of doing business.

Looking ahead, Remulla said the Ombudsman’s office is setting its sights on full digitization of services, wider online filing and payment systems, an expanded workforce through new lawyer positions, and continuous training for personnel — all part of an effort to build a faster, more responsive, and more trusted institution.