Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla's declared net worth rose from P441.7 million to P461.4 million between October and December 2025 — his first three months leading the country's top anti-graft body — with the increase tied largely to four Cavite farm lots, according to his SALN obtained by The Philippine STAR.
MANILA — The declared wealth of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla grew by nearly P20 million in just three months after he assumed the office that polices the assets of every other public official in the country, according to a report by The Philippine STAR published June 18, 2026.
Remulla's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth — a copy of which the STAR said it obtained from the Office of the Ombudsman — showed his net worth rising from P441.737 million in October 2025 to P461.411 million by December 31, 2025. Remulla assumed the post on October 9, 2025, after serving as Secretary of Justice.
What the SALN shows
As of October 10, 2025, Remulla and his wife, Ma. Josefina, reported P442.037 million in total assets — P83.237 million in real properties and P358.8 million in personal properties, the latter including stocks, cash in bank, furniture, jewelry, personal belongings and motor vehicles, the STAR reported. Against this they declared just P300,000 in liabilities, consisting of a personal loan and an unpaid subscription to a corporation, La Poch Villa Realty Inc.
The STAR attributed the increase largely to the acquisition of four farm lots in Indang, Cavite. One was bought in 2024 for P20.032 million; the others were acquired in 2025 for P1.8 million, P5.224 million and P8.087 million. Some previously declared properties no longer appeared in the end-2025 SALN, including a P4.5-million house and lot in Baguio City bought in 2024 and three lots in Bacoor City. The couple's declared cash in bank fell slightly, from P300 million in October to P297.219 million by December.
The couple also declared shares of stock in South Livestock, South 7 Realty and La Poch Villa Realty Inc.
Among the highest-paid officials
Based on the Commission on Audit's 2025 Report on Salaries and Allowances, the STAR reported, Remulla was the second highest-paid Cabinet member with net pay of P5.97 million. That figure included P2.93 million in basic salary earned as Justice Secretary for the first 10 months of the year. He drew no basic salary after becoming Ombudsman in October but received P1.269 million in allowances and P659,716 in bonuses, incentives and benefits.
Context
The SALN is the central transparency instrument in Philippine anti-corruption law. Under Republic Act 6713, officials must annually disclose their assets, liabilities and net worth, and unexplained increases can be grounds for investigation — investigations that, for nearly every other official, are conducted by the very office Remulla now heads. The report does not allege wrongdoing, and the increase is documented within the SALN itself, with the new Cavite acquisitions accounting for the bulk of the change. As of this report, the Office of the Ombudsman had not issued a public explanation of the year-on-year movements beyond the SALN entries themselves.
The disclosure lands as Remulla's office is at the center of the flood control corruption crackdown. On June 16, the Ombudsman reported that 209 flood-control complaints were under fact-finding investigation in 2026, with four cases filed in court, and his office has separately flagged SALN irregularities among 26 lawmakers caught in the same probe. The scrutiny those cases place on the declared wealth of other officials gives added public-interest weight to transparency about the anti-graft chief's own assets.
Sources
- Daphne Galvez, "Ombudsman's net worth grows by P20 million," The Philippine STAR, June 18, 2026 — philstar.com/2535993
- Commission on Audit, 2025 Report on Salaries and Allowances (as cited by The Philippine STAR)
- "Ombudsman: Flood control investigations stepped up in 2026," Manila Bulletin, June 16, 2026 — mb.com.ph