During the deliberation of the Office of the Ombudsman’s 2026 budget today, November 21, 2025, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta pressed for accountability over the Ombudsman’s past public remark suggesting that “bending the law” is acceptable so long as it does not break it.

“Does he believe that these decisions of the Supreme Court are wrong, and that he is not bound by its decisions?” Marcoleta asked.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, the budget sponsor for the Ombudsman, relayed the position of new Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla: that the rule of law is “supreme” and that he intends to abide fully by Supreme Court decisions.

“Therefore, he is not correct, and there is no basis for flaunting those statements publicly declared—that bending the law is alright, provided that he is not breaking the law,” Marcoleta asserted.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian countered that the Ombudsman’s previous remark was merely a figure of speech. This did not satisfy Marcoleta, who stressed that the Ombudsman, as head of a high office, should not use phrases that could mislead the public into thinking that bending the law is acceptable.

According to Sen. Gatchalian, the Ombudsman conveyed that he is “strict” about the rule of law and has no intention of bending it. Marcoleta argued that the public deserves explicit clarification.

Sen. Gatchalian thanked Marcoleta for raising the issue, saying the discussion itself serves as the Ombudsman’s clarification before the Senate: that he will abide by the rule of law and will not bend it “to serve any other purpose.”

Marcoleta then moved to require a personal apology from the Ombudsman, but the motion was not permitted.

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