‘Secret decision’: How a mysterious ruling spared Philippine Senator from dismissal

Manila: A decision made quietly six years ago — and kept hidden until now — has stunned the Office of the Ombudsman and thrown light into the debate over the dismissal of Senator Joel Villanueva.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday revealed that he will no longer pursue Villanueva’s removal from office, after discovering what he described as a “very mysterious” and “secret decision” signed by his predecessor nine years ago.

The twist comes after Remulla earlier declared plans to write to then-Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to implement a 2016 dismissal order against Villanueva, which stemmed from alleged irregularities in the senator’s tenure as a government official before entering politics.

That plan abruptly changed when a document suddenly resurfaced.

“To my surprise, when I got to the office, I was confronted with a decision signed by former Ombudsman Martirez dated July 2019,” Remulla said in a chance interview.

According to Remulla, the document — signed by former Ombudsman Samuel Martirez — quietly reversed the 2016 dismissal order that had haunted Villanueva for years.

The catch: almost no one knew it existed.

The effect: Villanueva was saved from dismissal.

“So I was surprised by that decision. It only came out when I said the Ombudsman will do something about that. So it’s a surprise secret decision that came out,” he added, hinting at timing that he found highly suspicious.

Even more curious, Remulla said that no one in the Ombudsman’s office seemed to have prior knowledge of the reversal — not even the Senate.

“Even [Senate President] Tito Sotto didn’t know about it. They released it now. So don’t you call that a secret decision?” the Ombudsman asked, clearly baffled.

The 2019 ruling, which nullified the earlier order, effectively shields Senator Villanueva from being ousted.

But why it remained hidden for years is now the lingering question.

“It’s a very mysterious decision because it’s a public interest decision. He (Villanueva) ran for public office. He was elected senator. So it’s a very newsworthy thing. And it’s something that is in the public interest,” Remulla emphasised.

For now, the Ombudsman says he is dropping plans to seek enforcement of the 2016 order.

“No. Not anymore, because our premises have already changed. Things are different now,” he said.

Remulla added that he intends to study the 2019 reversal — how it came about, why it was never disclosed, and who knew about it.

The revelation has sparked speculation within political and legal circles. Was it a simple oversight? A bureaucratic lapse? Or something more deliberate?

As Remulla put it himself: “It’s a secret decision — and a very mysterious one at that.”