House Infra Committee Co-Chair and Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Terry Ridon welcomed the appointment of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as the new Ombudsman on Tuesday, October 6.

"His appointment is an important addition to the country’s accountability mechanisms, particularly in bringing to justice the perpetrators of corruption in flood control and infrastructure projects — whoever they may be, and whenever these acts may have been committed," Ridon said in a social media post, emphasizing that the appointment of the new official to the ICI strengthens the country’s efforts to ensure accountability.

According to Ridon, now that Remulla became the Ombudsman, he finally has the authority to file both administrative and criminal charges against anyone found responsible for the misuse of public funds. This includes officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), lawmakers, members of the executive branch, and private contractors involved in government projects.

Ridon said that the committee will continue its collaborative efforts with investigative bodies by working closely with the new Ombudsman. He added that the committee will forward all transcripts, documents, and other pertinent evidence from previous hearings to support the Ombudsman’s probe into alleged anomalies.