Ombudsman slams leak of investigators’ data

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April 27, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has vowed to pursue maximum legal penalties against those responsible for the malicious online disclosure of its investigators’ identities, calling it a “blatant attempt to intimidate public servants and jeopardize their personal safety.”

The ombudsman is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group to identify the perpetrators and file charges under the Data Privacy Act and the Cybercrime Prevention Act. 

“The Office of the Ombudsman strongly condemns the online disclosure of our investigators’ identities,” it said.

The ombudsman explained that recent filings involving high-ranking officials are part of a deliberate tactical sequence, saying the specific complaint “reached the courts first due to its position in our investigative pipeline, but it is merely a preliminary component of a broader, multi-stage legal strategy.”

“These initial measures are designed to secure the state’s interests and prevent the flight of people or assets while the universe of cases continue to mature,” the ombudsman said. 

The Office of the Ombudsman said it is not their duty to “lawyer” for the respondents, but to focus on securing the jurisdiction of the state. 

“If the respondents want to challenge the credibility of witnesses or the veracity of the affidavits, the proper venue to do so is during the preliminary investigation,” the Office of the Ombudsman said. “It is the respondent’s responsibility to raise his own defenses; this office will not preempt that legal process by litigating the case in the court of public opinion.”