Ex-Ombudsman Martires says Villanueva case dismissal not secret

Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires stated that his 2019 decision to dismiss cases against Senator Joel Villanueva was not a secret, and that the Ombudsman's office has the discretion whether to publicize rulings.

Martires explained that he chose not to publicize the dismissal order to protect the dignity of individuals when guilt has not been determined by a court, and that it was part of official records sent to the Senate President.

However, Martires recently stated he could no longer recall the specific reason why the 2019 dismissal decision was not published, citing the passage of time and being overwhelmed with cases.

He reiterated that the law allows the Ombudsman discretion on publishing decisions if circumstances warrant, and that critics should not dictate such actions.

Villanueva had filed a timely motion for reconsideration regarding an earlier dismissal order issued in 2016.