Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday sought to temper interpretations of his recent radio comments suggesting that Senate President Vicente Sotto III had little to fear and that arrest teams were on standby, saying the remarks were not meant to be flippant.
Speaking at the Ombudsman’s Strategic Planning Session in Baguio, Remulla explained that his earlier statements on DZRH, delivered in a light exchange with radio hosts, were anchored on standard legal procedures rather than personal or political threats.
He said the point he intended to make was that law enforcement acts only when courts issue warrants, and that authorities are always prepared to carry out arrests when required by law.
Remulla declined to elaborate on the nature of any potential cases that could prompt such action, and did not say whether these would involve local or international proceedings.
The clarification followed public attention to his weekend radio appearance, which coincided with reports of a failed effort to unseat Sotto from the Senate presidency.
Earlier this month, Sotto confirmed that an attempt to remove him from his post had been blocked by the Senate majority, though he did not disclose details of how the move was stopped.
Remulla also avoided commenting on whether his remarks were connected to any sitting senators, amid reports that a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee draft had identified several minority bloc members for possible criminal complaints tied to the flood-control controversy.
