Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla is preparing a case against 12 to 15 Congressmen allegedly involved in anomalies in flood projects. According to him, about 100 to 200 people are being investigated and 67 of them are congressmen related to the contract.
Remulla said some cases are easy to file while others need to be strengthened with evidence. “We know there is a case, but the challenge is how to prove it in court,” he said.
In addition, he also plans to reopen to the public the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of officials, including former President Rodrigo Duterte, President Marcos, and Vice President Sara Duterte. He will issue a memorandum on October 15 to reverse the previous limitation on the release of SALNs.
He also explained that those requesting SALN must have a clear reason, especially if it is to be used for investigative journalism. In exchange for providing information, the Ombudsman also wants to receive data from journalists.
Remulla added that it is possible to remove some sensitive details from the SALN to protect the privacy of the official. He also plans to use the public's help in lifestyle checks through crowdsourcing.
