THE firm of lawyer Ferdinand Topacio has informed the Judicial and Bar Council of the case they have lodged against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and several others before the Office of the Ombudsman last Monday.
Remulla is applying for the Ombudsman post after the retirement of Samuel Martires last July 27.
Remulla is in a race to secure clearance from the Ombudsman certifying that he has no pending case before the anti-graft agency before the JBC decides on the names to be included in the shortlist of candidates, which will be submitted to Malacanang.
The JBC is the body tasked by the 1987 Constitution to screen and vet nominees to the Judiciary.
“Please find the attached complaint-affidavit, which was filed before the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the unusual and anomalous arrest and detention effected on Shiela Guo (sister of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo), and Katherine Cassandra Li Ong last year by Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, among others,” part of the letter addressed to the JBC said.
The letter, dated September 15, was signed by Raphael Antonio Andrada, an associate at Topacio’s law firm.
In his complaint, Topacio alleged that Remulla and National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago committed graft and engaged in arbitrary detention over the warrantless arrest of Guo and Ong.
Ong was arrested last year in connection with her alleged role in the operation of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facility in Porac, Pampanga, that was raided by authorities due to allegations of illegal activities, including human trafficking.
Topacio’s complaint adds to the legal challenges facing Remulla.
Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte also filed charges against Remulla and several other government officials before the Ombudsman in connection with the March 11 arrest and subsequent turnover to the International Criminal Court of his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, for crimes against humanity charges.
Remulla dismissed as a form of “political spectacle” and “forum shopping” the criminal and administrative charges filed by the acting Davao City mayor, saying it is meant to derail his bid for the top Ombudsman post.
Sen. Imee Marcos has also lodged a case against Remulla and several top government officials before the Ombudsman in connection with the March 11 arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his subsequent detention at the International Criminal Court.
PURE HARASSMENT
Santiago described the arbitrary detention cases filed against him and Remulla before the Office of the Ombudsman as harassment meant to derail the latter’s bid to become Ombudsman.
Santiago was referring to the cases lodged by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio over the arrest and detention of Sheila Guo and Cassandra Li Ong in August 2024.
Sheila is the sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.
“Kung meron man, may arbitrary detention, ako at ang aking agent. Walang kinalaman si Secretary of Justice dito. Pero they really want SOJ na hindi magkaroon ng clearance from the Ombudsman (If there is arbitrary detention here, it would be me and my agents. The Secretary of Justice has nothing to do with this. Obviously, they really want the SOJ not to get clearance from the Ombudsman),” Santiago said in a press briefing.
“Talagang ‘yun ang pakay nila, ang harangin ang ating justice secretary (Their real aim here is to block the justice secretary),” he added.
Santiago said the NBI was armed with warrants of arrest for Guo and Ong when they were apprehended in Indonesia and turned over to the custody of the agency.
At the same time, he questioned why the complaint was only filed recently when the alleged arbitrary detention took place last year.
“Bakit ngayon naisip ni Atty. Topacio, bakit ngayon lang niya ko naisip kasuhan? Ang tagal-tagal nang issue ‘yan (Why it is only now that Atty. Topacio thought of filing a case against me? This issue has been around for a long time),” he said.
