Ombudsman eyes complaint mechanism for businessmen

At a meeting with owners of mostly lechon businesses in Cebu City on Thursday, Remulla lamented the “growing impunity of corruption” among public officials at various levels of government who use their positions to demand money from businesses in exchange for permits, approvals and other government services.

STAR / File

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has pledged to go after public officials who extort from businessmen, by establishing a mechanism for filing complaints.

At a meeting with owners of mostly lechon businesses in Cebu City on Thursday, Remulla lamented the “growing impunity of corruption” among public officials at various levels of government who use their positions to demand money from businesses in exchange for permits, approvals and other government services.

“Government officials effectively demand a share of business earnings, driving up operating costs and discouraging investment,” he said.

Remulla also presented to the Cebu businessmen his plan to open the “investors’ window” in the Office of the Ombudsman where they could file “complaints of extortion, abuse of authority, unreasonable delays and other forms of misconduct in government.”

He also assured them the Ombudsman would not give in to “political pressure or attempts to shield influential individuals from investigation and prosecution.”