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‘Secret’ Villanueva ruling released
The Office of the Ombudsman has released documents concerning past complaints filed against Senator Joel Villanueva for alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
A 2019 order signed by then-Ombudsman Samuel Martires reversed a dismissal order against Villanueva, stating there was inadequate evidence of his involvement in the alleged embezzlement of P9.7 million of his PDAF.
This reversal of dismissal was only publicized recently by the current Ombudsman, Jesus Crispin Remulla, who questioned the authenticity of documents previously shown by the senator.
In a separate 2016 decision, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales had found probable cause to indict Villanueva for malversation of public funds, malversation through falsification of public documents, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The 2016 ruling rejected Villanueva's defense of forged signatures, stating that forgery must be proven with clear and convincing evidence.
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Ombudsman Samuel Martires defended his 2019 decision to reverse a 2016 dismissal order against Senator Joel Villanueva, citing no probable cause and forged signatures.
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Malacañang has requested the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate a supposed secret decision that overturned a 2016 dismissal order against Senator Joel Villanueva.
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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.
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