MANILA—The Supreme Court challenged Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla to formalize his grievances after he openly criticized the judiciary for repeatedly overturning cases dismissed by his office and the Department of Justice.

In a statement issued late Thursday evening, the High Tribunal invited the anti-graft chief to present formal complaints and concrete evidence rather than making sweeping public declarations.

“The Court cannot act on broad allegations against an entire appellate court based only on public statements. We therefore invite the Ombudsman, or any concerned party, to file the proper complaint and submit supporting evidence,” the SC said through its spokesperson, Atty. Camille Ting. “This will allow the Court to determine the facts and, when warranted, exercise its disciplinary authority.”

The high court’s response followed Remulla’s remarks during a Senate finance committee hearing on the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program budget, where lawmakers evaluated the agency’s requested P7.232-billion allocation. Addressing senators, Remulla raised alarm over what he characterized as a trend of Court of Appeals (CA) decisions overriding anti-graft rulings, including instances involving reinstated barangay chairpersons and a former National Bureau of Investigation employee.

Remulla described the appellate court’s reversals as institutional setbacks that “came out of nowhere” and pointed to prolonged court trials as a broader systemic issue. He noted that corruption cases pending before the Sandiganbayan for up to 15 years have faced dismissal due to inordinate delay.

“As a lawyer, it’s not really common for lawyers to complain about the courts. But sometimes, we just have to raise that issue already because it can be the biggest elephant in the room, within our justice system,” Remulla told the Senate panel. “It’s the biggest elephant in the room. The judiciary has to be examined closely by everybody in government, and they themselves should go on a soul-searching, so that we can be a better country. I think that is one of the problems besetting us right now.”

The Ombudsman further remarked that despite past historical upheavals, the judicial branch has remained unscrutinized. “Never has the judiciary accounted for everything that they’ve been doing. It is something that we have to examine as a country,” he stated.

Remulla shared that he had previously discussed his concerns directly with UP College of Law classmate Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, noting that while his former classmate had cautioned him against strong remarks, he chose to speak directly on the matter. To help streamline anti-corruption efforts, Remulla proposed integrating the Office of the Ombudsman into the European Union-funded Justice Sector Coordinating Council, which currently brings together the courts, the DOJ, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

During the same budget hearing, Remulla addressed speculation surrounding his career trajectory, confirming he holds no interest in replacing Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo upon his retirement in November. Appointed to a seven-year term as Ombudsman in October 2025, Remulla declared, “I have no more aspirations, this is the job I want to be able to finish,” clarifying to reporters that he is “not applying” for the Supreme Court post.

In response to his criticisms, the High Tribunal reiterated its commitment to process fairness and free speech, referencing its recent dismissal of indirect contempt charges against presidential poverty adviser Larry Gadon, Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña, and political analyst Richard Heydarian over their comments regarding the dismissal of the 2024 impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte in 2025.

“Despite the strong statements made against the Court concerning one of its rulings, the Court upheld the respondents’ freedom of speech and did not hold them in contempt,” the SC stated. “The Court welcomes fair criticism. At the same time, serious accusations against judges and courts should be raised through the proper processes so they can be fairly investigated and resolved.”

The Senate panel, led by Sen. JV Ejercito, assured the Ombudsman of potential budget augmentations—particularly regarding its P51.47 million confidential fund request—to support its investigative and anti-corruption operations.