Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) Deputy Spokesperson Atty. Ferdinand Topacio lamented Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla’s appointment as the new Ombudsman.

In a statement on Tuesday, October 7, Topacio said, “This is another dark day in the annals of our nation’s history. For the first time, a person who is — all at once — an action politician, alter ego of a sitting President, and a person who is widely known to have politicized and weaponized the DOJ during his term therein, was injudiciously appointed to a Constitutional office that is expressly mandated to be led by someone who is not only supposed to be impartial, wise, ethical and intellectually competent, but an exemplar of morality.”

According to him, this is to have ascendancy over the officials and government institutions that the office has been called upon to watch over, and if needed, prosecute and punish.

“Instead, what we have is a man whose appointment as Ombudsman was marred, not only by the greatest controversy ever in the history of that exalted post, but made through the use of all the power and influence of the Presidency in order to install a person so grossly unqualified,” he wrote.

Due to this, Topacio noted that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has “severely weakened” a revered institution.

Moreover, he said that the President’s attempt to co-opt the Legislature showed subservience to foreign powers, even resulting in turning the national budget into its “own slush fund” for the latter’s political allies and favored businessmen.

“With this latest move, Mr. Marcos has shown that he is willing to seriously compromise the safeguards provided for in the Constitution to serve his own political interests, in a desperate attempt to perpetuate his clique in power beyond 2028,” Topacio emphasized.

“In these trying times, no one can help the Filipinos but we ourselves. We must keep showing our outrage at all these nefarious acts that are destroying our dignity and sense of decency as a nation. Protest or perish! That is the call of the times,” his statement ended.

That same day, Malacañang announced that Marcos had appointed Remulla as the new Ombudsman, replacing retired Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

In a statement, the Palace said that Remulla is expected to uphold transparency and strengthen anti-corruption measures, stating, “there will be no scared cows, no exemptions, and no excuses.”