Ombudsman denies targeting Senate minority

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday denied allegations that his office is targeting the new Senate minority bloc. "No such thing. Remember, the people in jail now—many of them were our allies from the very beginning. That’s just the way it is. Everyone is affected by this; no one is being singled out," Remulla said in a press briefing. His remarks came when asked about possible criticism that his office is targeting the minority bloc should it decide that there is enough evidence to file a case. Previously, a complaint for obstruction of justice was filed against Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Robin Padilla, as well as former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca, over Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate premises despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. Meanwhile, Remulla said that the case build-up for Senators Joel Villanueva and Francis “Chiz” Escudero, two former minority senators who have moved to the majority bloc, is ongoing. "That is ongoing. We are doing everything," he said when asked about the graft case against Escudero. Remulla explained that with 500 possible cases to file, the evidence comes in at different levels and not all of it is reliable, necessitating careful examination. He stated that they are still at the fact-finding stage. When asked about Villanueva’s case, he said it was the "same." In March, the Department of Justice (DOJ) endorsed its findings on the malversation complaint against Villanueva over alleged ghost flood control projects to the Ombudsman. However, Remulla indicated that the DOJ's recommendation did not meet the anti-graft body's standards for filing charges. Information Source: GMA News Philippines