This week, that signal came in the form of two high-profile filings. One accuses VP Sara Duterte of misusing confidential funds. Tindig Pilipinas convenor Francis “Kiko” Aquino Dee asserted:
“Nanawagan po kami sa Ombudsman na seryosohin po yung mga kaso laban kay Sara Duterte, imbestigahan yung articles of impeachment dahil hindi nga naganap yung inaasahan nating trial sa Senado.”
The other targets Senator Bong Go and former President Duterte for billions in anomalous infrastructure contracts. Former Senator Trillanes’ complaint stated:
“Respondent Go clearly took advantage of his public position as an aide and alter-ego of Respondent Duterte, in cornering illicitly billions upon billions of public infrastructure projects in favor of the unqualified sole proprietorship registered in the names of his father and brother, thus, unduly enriching himself and members of his immediate family.”
Both cases landed squarely at the feet of the Office of the Ombudsman. And suddenly, the question isn’t just what will happen next? It’s who will dare to act?
Remulla’s Rise: A Sequel Worth Watching
In my previous ATABAY piece, “A Tale of Two Investigations: Why ICI Must Go & Ombudsman Must Lead,” I wrote:
“[Crispin] Remulla isn’t just restoring the Ombudsman’s teeth. He’s sharpening them.”
That line still holds. But now, the stakes have sharpened too. He spelled out:
“Noong naging DOJ Secretary ako, ang unang-una kong tinanggal, weaponization ng batas…it will not be weaponized, sisiguraduhin ko sa lahat ‘yan. Wala akong sisinuhin."
Remulla, once seen as a quiet reformer, now stands as the unlikely protagonist in a civic drama that could define a generation. He reopened the Pharmally case. He ordered the release of SALNs. He poked at ties others tiptoe around. And now, he faces two litmus tests that will either cement his legacy—or expose the limits of institutional courage.
These aren’t just cases. They’re crossroads.
The Litmus of Power
The VP Duterte case was frozen—first by the Senate, then by the Supreme Court. A tandem of omission. The Bong Go case languished under the previous DOJ and Ombudsman, buried beneath layers of proximity and protection.
But now, both have resurfaced. And Remulla, whether he asked for it or not, has become the face of a new civic reckoning.
We may call him the white knight in shining armor riding a whiff of fresh air. But I say: let’s not romanticize too soon. Let’s watch what he does when the spotlight fades and the pressure mounts.
This isn’t about heroism. It’s about resolve.
Mirror—Not Just a Mandate
And yet, these cases are not only litmus tests for Remulla. They are mirrors—held up not just to the accused, but to us.
If the entrails of these investigations reveal systemic misuse of public funds, abuse of power, or entrenched corruption, they won’t just implicate Duterte and Go. They will reflect the kind of electorate that elevated them.
Recent surveys, if we believe them, show VP Duterte leading the pack for the 2028 presidential race, while Senator Go topped the 2022 senatorial elections. These aren’t just political snapshot and reality—they’re civic fingerprints. They tell us who we trusted and who we believed.
So, when the full weight of the investigation surfaces—when contracts are traced, funds clarified, decisions examined—we must pause and ask: What do these truths reflect about us?
Were we silent by choice? Persuaded by proximity, personality, or propaganda? Or had we grown too tired, too indifferent—allowing ourselves to normalize what now stands exposed?
The answers may be uncomfortable. But they will be honest—and they will matter.
In the end, the Ombudsman’s crusade is not just about restoring institutional integrity. It’s about reawakening civic conscience. And if these cases are pursued with rigor and resolve, they may do more than punish the wrongdoing. They may provoke a reckoning—a moment where the Filipino voter looks in the mirror and asks: What kind of leaders did we elect?
Good or bad, the reflection will be ours to bear.
The Flood Beneath the Surface
These cases arrive in the wake of the flood control scandal—a sprawling tale of overpriced contracts, ghost projects, and systemic rot. It’s no coincidence. Corruption, like water, finds the cracks. And when institutions fail to seal them, it seeps into everything.
That’s why I believe the Ombudsman must lead—not just legally, but morally. In a country where impunity is often the default, accountability must be the exception that proves we still care.
A Quiet Ferocity, A Loud Hope
Remulla’s strength lies not in spectacle, but in coolness. He doesn’t grandstand. He acts.
And in that quiet ferocity, there’s a loud hope—a hope that maybe, the system can still work. That the Ombudsman can be more than a title. That the white horse isn’t just a metaphor.
But hope, like justice, must be tested. And these two cases—VP Sara’s CIFs and Bong Go’s billions—are the test.
In Closing
We don’t need Remulla to be flawless. We need him to be fearless—and principled.
Let him face the storm. Let him show that the Ombudsman’s office can still be a place where truth is not only spoken, but enforced.
If he does, it won’t just be a welcome change. It will be the first breath of a system learning to live again.
And we, too, must choose to breathe.
Content & editing put together in collaboration with Bing Microsoft AI-powered Co-pilot
Head collage photos courtesy of Bing image creator; design by Canva
Still photos courtesy of Faith Argosino & Noy Morcoso/Inquirer.net, Politiko, Freepik, Arind Datta on X, Philstar.com, & Shutterstock
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