House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil clarified that there was no intention to disregard the Office of the Ombudsman, following remarks from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla over the alleged refusal of the House of Representatives to accept a subpoena concerning lawmakers’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
In a statement, Garafil stressed the office’s respect for the Ombudsman and its mandate.
“Malaki po ang paggalang ng Office of the Secretary General sa Office of the Ombudsman at sa mandato nito,” she said, adding that all communications sent to the House are properly received and processed in accordance with existing rules.
She explained that the chamber is currently under a work-from-home setup, with onsite operations limited to Tuesdays and Wednesdays as part of energy-saving measures.
“Wala po kaming intensyong magpakita ng kawalang-galang o umiwas sa pagtugon. Ang lahat ng opisyal na komunikasyon ay aming aasikasuhin nang naaayon sa mga tuntunin at may buong paggalang sa institusyon,” Garafil added.
Earlier, Remulla criticized the House for allegedly refusing to receive the subpoena. The Ombudsman also pointed out that Congress has yet to submit the requested SALN documents.