“Biggest elephant in the room”: Remulla is the first person in government to speak honestly about the corruption in the judiciary

Ombudsman Boying Remulla is calling for a deeper review of the country’s justice system, raising concerns over delayed corruption cases and reversals of accountability decisions that he said have affected efforts to fight wrongdoing.

During the Senate Finance Committee briefing on the Office of the Ombudsman’s proposed ₱7.232-billion budget for 2027, Remulla said the judiciary “has to be examined closely by everybody in government” and urged the institution to undergo “soul-searching” to improve the justice system.

Remulla pointed to corruption cases before the Sandiganbayan that remained unresolved for years, saying some had been pending for 15 years before being dismissed due to inordinate delay. He also raised concerns over a “worrying trend” involving Ombudsman decisions later reversed by the Court of Appeals.

“That is a trend that’s known to the whole Office of the Ombudsman,” Remulla said, adding that he had discussed the matter with Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

The Ombudsman said raising concerns about court decisions is not common among lawyers, but he believed the issue needed to be addressed because it affects the country’s accountability system.

“As a lawyer, it’s not really common for lawyers to complain about the courts. But sometimes we just have to raise that issue already because it can be the biggest elephant in the room, within our justice system,” Remulla said.

Remulla also dismissed reports that he was seeking the position of Chief Justice, saying he was “not applying” and had “no more aspirations” as he focused on finishing his work as Ombudsman. He said his decision came from his experience as a lawyer, government official, and advocate.

He also proposed stronger coordination among justice institutions, including the Ombudsman and judiciary, to help make “the wheels of justice” move faster.

As Ombudsman, Boying Remulla has emerged as one of the fiercest figures battling corruption in government. His office’s “grandest case of them all” targets disgraced former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who faces a barrage of complaints—plunder, direct and indirect bribery, violations of the Anti‑Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and money laundering—all tied to the ₱56‑billion flood‑control scandal.

The Ombudsman has branded Romualdez the “master plunderer” of the flood‑control racket, while Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano described it as a “master case” involving a “grand conspiracy to defraud the treasury.”

The scandal has ignited fury across the nation, as relentless flooding exposes the cost of corruption. The Office of Civil Defense reported 39 deaths—including a 3‑year‑old boy in Olongapo—and more than 9.4 million people affected by the combined force of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones.