President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to appoint the country’s next Ombudsman after the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) submitted a shortlist of seven nominees to Malacañang.
The JBC, through a letter dated October 6 and signed by Acting Supreme Court Chief Justice Marvic Leonen, endorsed the following candidates: Philippine Competition Commission chairperson Michael Aguinaldo; retired Court of Appeals Justice Stephen Cruz; Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan; Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Anna Liza Logan; retired Supreme Court Justice Mario Lopez; Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi; and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
The appointment will fill the vacancy left by Samuel Martires, whose seven-year term as Ombudsman ended on July 27.
Tasked as the government’s independent watchdog, the Ombudsman plays a critical role in ensuring accountability in public service. The office investigates and acts on complaints against public officials, reviews government procedures, and guards against abuse of power and corruption.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Ombudsman serves a single seven-year term and may only be removed through impeachment. Appointments to the Ombudsman and its deputies require no confirmation from Congress.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.