MANILA — Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires has confirmed that there is no longer any active or pending dismissal order against Senator Joel Villanueva, clarifying that the case was voided as early as 2019 after the Office of the Ombudsman found no probable cause to pursue either criminal or administrative charges.

According to official records, Martires granted Villanueva’s motion for reconsideration in 2019. The decision overturned the earlier ruling of then-Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, after investigators concluded that the signatures appearing above Villanueva’s name in the questioned documents were forged.

The former Ombudsman also determined that there was no probable cause to establish that Villanueva had committed any offense.

Documents submitted by Villanueva’s office included clearances from both the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan, certifying that the senator had no pending criminal or administrative cases. These clearances were reportedly issued before misinformation about the alleged dismissal resurfaced.

Furthermore, the former Ombudsman said there’s nothing “secret” about his dismissal of Villanueva’s case. “Aba’y hindi ko alam kung ano’ng sikreto sa amin…Nando’n sa system na na-dismiss ko ‘yon…Ayan naman ay binigay sa complainant, binigay kay Senator Joel, siguro may kopya no’n si Senator Villanueva…Wala akong sikretong ginagawa sa aking trabaho, lahat nakabuyangyang,” Martires told GMA’s DZBB on Thursday.

The original 2016 dismissal order, issued under Carpio-Morales, accused Villanueva of diverting PDAF funds to questionable projects. However, the Senate, under then-President Vicente Sotto III, later maintained that the Ombudsman has no constitutional authority to dismiss or suspend a sitting senator, emphasizing that such power rests solely with the legislative chamber.

📷 Joel Villanueva FB