MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday cautioned that the Ombudsman’s plan to revive the dismissed case against Sen. Joel Villanueva could damage both the Senate’s integrity and the country’s image abroad, urging Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to review what he described as a clear error.
Speaking to reporters, Cayetano said the controversy over the old dismissal order—which Ombudsman Remulla has said he planned to forward to the Senate for enforcement—has turned into what he called “a circus” that risked eroding investor confidence and the global reputation of the Philippines.
“The way we’re addressing massive corruption is not sustainable. We have to be decisive and make real reforms, but the way we’re doing it—it’s like a circus every day—deeply affects the image of our country,” Cayetano said.
He said the Ombudsman appeared to have been “fed wrong information” regarding Villanueva’s case, which, he stressed, was dismissed years ago due to a forged signature and a misidentified party-list.
“I’m really hoping Ombudsman Remulla was just misinformed by his staff because it’s very clear that the case has been dismissed,” Cayetano said.
“The signature in question was forged, and the letterhead used was from Buhay Party-list when Senator Villanueva represented CIBAC Party-list. This is not even debatable.”
Cayetano described Remulla as “a man of duty” who sincerely wanted to punish the guilty, but said the move to revisit a settled case risked being exploited by political factions seeking to discredit the Senate’s minority bloc.
“Unfortunately, it’s become a circus—palakasan ng palakpak—while the real masterminds walk free,” he said. “There are groups clearly against Joel and against the minority. As they create chaos, the real culprits get away.”
The senator also warned that mishandling corruption cases could have far-reaching effects beyond politics.
“We have more than 10 million Filipinos abroad. Every day, they face the perception that the Philippines is corrupt,” he said. “Maybe only a few thousand people are truly involved in corruption, but the whole nation’s image suffers because we’re handling it like entertainment.”
Cayetano urged the Ombudsman to discipline any staff who may have misled him and said the Senate should stand united in defending its institutional integrity, regardless of party lines.
“When the Senate or any of its members is unfairly attacked, the entire institution takes the hit,” he said. “There are only 24 of us. If the Ombudsman can easily move against eight or nine senators, the whole Senate could be crippled.”
Asked if he would raise the issue during the Ombudsman’s budget hearing, Cayetano said he would wait for Remulla’s formal response after reviewing the documents.
“If he wants to reverse a dismissed case, there’s a legal process for that. You can’t just write to the Senate and say an old decision has been reversed. That would be martial law,” he said.
Cayetano also linked the renewed interest in Villanueva’s case to the ongoing investigation into the alleged “ghost” flood control projects, saying some members of the minority were being “targeted” to distract from identifying the true masterminds.
He expressed confidence, however, that Remulla’s intentions were not malicious.
“I don’t believe Ombudsman Remulla would intentionally attack the Senate. His heart is in the right place,” Cayetano said. “But there are many voices around him—and in this political climate, misinformation can easily be weaponized.”
The minority leader said he supported the Integrity and Corruption Investigation (ICI) task force’s request for stronger powers, including contempt authority, but stressed that it must remain independent and include opposition and religious representatives to strengthen public trust.
“Let’s bulletproof the ICI. Include the opposition, include faith leaders, and make it truly independent,” he said. “That’s how we ensure focus, speed, and credibility.”
Cayetano concluded by urging restraint and focus in addressing corruption scandals, saying every misstep adds to the perception that the Philippines was ungovernable.
“Let’s not treat justice like a circus. Every action has consequences—not just for politics, but for the entire country,” he said.
