Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires Speaks on Junking Case against Sen. Joel Villanueva
SAMUEL MARTIRES – The former Ombudsman claimed that he cannot recall the reason for not publishing his decision on the case against Senator Joel Villanueva.
During the time of former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, she ruled for the dismissal of then House of Representatives member Joel Villanueva. It was over the alleged misuse of his 2008 Priority Development and Assistance Fund or PDAF.
Recently, newly-appointed Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that he will write a letter to Senate President Tito Sotto and ask him to enforce the 2016 dismissal order against Sen. Joel Villanueva. The country’s chief graft-buster even claimed that he will personally deliver his letter to Sotto.
However, things did not anymore lead to it after he was informed that the complaints against Sen. Joel Villanueva have already been dismissed. Remulla claimed that it was immediately when he arrived at his office after his interview with Karen Davila that he was given a copy of the decision of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires.
It was in July 2019 when then-Ombudsman Samuel Martires released his decision to dismiss the complaints against Sen. Joel Villanueva. Ombudsman Boying Remulla believes that it was allegedly done ‘secretly’ as it was not published.
Remulla also stressed that Villanueva was quiet about it all-throughout and it was only recently when he claimed that he is allegedly being harassed. He even raised questions if it is right for an elected official of the government to behave that way.
“Tama ba yon? Ba’t hindi sinabi sa ‘ting lahat, may interes ang taong bayan, binoto natin ang tao tapos ganoon? Itatago mo sa amin ang katotohanan?” the Ombudsman said.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla believes that only former Ombudsman Samuel Martires and Sen. Joel Villanueva allegedly know about the junking of the complaint against the Senator. Recently, Martires broke his silence on the issue:
Based on a report on GMA News, former Ombudsman Samuel Martires claimed that he allegedly can’t recall the reason for not publishing his decision on the case against Sen. Joel Villanueva. He also explained that the Ombudsman has a choice on whether to public the rulings or not based on the circumstance.
“Hindi ko maalala sa tagal ng panahon, hindi ko maalala ang reason ba’t hindi na-publish ‘yan. Maybe because I was also overwhelmed with cases. Sinasabi lang, dapat daw pinublish ko dahil obligasyon daw namin i-publish ‘yun. Ang batas naman sinasabi lang if the circumstances warrant, ‘yun naman mula Konstitusyon hanggang batas,” the former Ombudsman told Super Radyo dzBB.
Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires claimed that if the circumstances warrant it, the Ombudsman should publish the ruling. Based on the report, he stressed the critics should not dictate the Ombudsman.
Previously, Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that they are still not done on the case against Sen. Joel Villanueva and they might refile it.