Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has confirmed plans to send a formal letter to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to enforce the 2016 dismissal order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman under then-Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales against Senate Deputy Minority Leader Joel Villanueva.
In an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel’s (ANC) Headstart, Remulla said he intends to write to Sotto on Thursday, October 23, so the letter can be formally transmitted to the Senate President’s office by Friday, October 24, coinciding with his attendance at the Senate hearing on the 2026 budget of the Office of the Ombudsman.
“We will try to enforce it now. We will write a letter to the Senate President asking to enforce a long, a letter that was supposed to have been sent a long time ago and ask him now to enforce that order,” Remulla said.
He emphasized that the order should already be implemented, stressing that it is “enforceable immediately.”
The dismissal order stemmed from alleged misuse of Villanueva’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) when he was CIBAC Party-list representative in the House of Representatives back in 2008.
Villanueva, along with Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Chiz Escudero, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay, is also facing allegations of receiving kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.