Insider designated as OIC ombudsman
Credit to Author: Helen Flores| Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has designated Justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo as officer-in-charge of the Office of the Ombudsman following the retirement of Samuel Martires on Sunday.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed the appointment in a text message to reporters yesterday.
Bersamin said interviews of the aspirants for ombudsman by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) are expected to begin after Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address.
The ombudsman serves a fixed term of seven years without reappointment.
Punzalan-Castillo has been the special prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman since October 2024. She will serve her term until 2031.
Punzalan-Castillo was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2004. She was promoted to presiding justice in November 2023 before retiring in September 2024 after reaching the retirement age of 70.
The JBC is set to interview 17 applications for the position of ombudsman, whose office is responsible for investigating and prosecuting public officials accused of wrongdoing, particularly graft and corruption.
Punzalan-Castillo began her legal career as an investigator in the Office of the Tanodbayan in 1979, a position she served until 1985 when she was appointed prosecutor in that office.
She joined the judiciary as presiding judge of the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 42 from 1993 to 1999, and as presiding judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 84 from 1999 to 2004.
Punzalan-Castillo finished her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Bachelor of Laws degrees in 1974 and 1978, respectively, from the University of the Philippines. — Daphne Galvez