Ombudsman Boying Remulla announced that his office will conduct lifestyle checks on government officials and is prepared to use an old forfeiture law to seize assets proven to be acquired through corruption or illegal means.
Reports say the review will include officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) as well as their income tax returns. Remulla said he intends to bring in personnel from the Department of Finance (DOF) to help the Office of the Ombudsman gain “access” to the databases of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
“I think that we’ll be using a law that is meant to forfeit illegally acquired property,” Remulla said during Stratbase’s Pilipinas Conference 2025.
“We will file forfeiture cases against ill-gotten wealth and this is going to be the long haul, that’s why we think we will need more divisions in the Sandiganbayan,” he added.
The law Remulla referred to is Republic Act 1379, enacted in 1955, which authorizes the government to forfeit properties unlawfully acquired by public officials or employees.
He acknowledged that implementing the measure will be challenging.
“That’s going to be very bloody. It’s not going to be easy for us. Actually, some people are not talking to my children anymore,” Remulla said.