PRESS RELEASE
02 JULY 2026
OMB launches Field Investigation Course 2026 to strengthen investigative capabilities
QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Committed to developing highly competent, disciplined and principled investigators, the Office of the Ombudsman formally launched the Field Investigation Course 2026 on 30 June at the Central Office in Quezon City.
Sixty participants from the Office of the Ombudsman Central Office, the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices, the Field Investigation Offices in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor comprised the first batch of participants.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed the importance of investigative work in the effective performance of the Office.
“Hindi puwede yung ‘puwede na’ o ‘basta-basta’. Dapat handa lagi tayo. And that is the very basic notion that we’re applying to this scenario, itong Field Investigation Course, because we really want our competence to be upgraded ,” OMB Remulla emphasized.
OMB Remulla said the course would help provide investigators with the confidence, working knowledge and technical competence needed to perform their duties and respond effectively to questions and challenges arising from investigations.
“When people know full well that the Ombudsman’s Office is competent, equipped and has the courage to undertake what it has to do. That will serve as a deterrent to those who want to commit malfeasance or other crimes in government,” OMB Remulla said
“Kinakailangan seryoso tayo sa trabaho natin at mayroon tayong hindi lang integrity kundi pride sa trabaho natin,” Remulla further urged the participants.
Digital and cyber forensics are important areas in which the Office intends to enhance its capabilities, particularly as investigators face increasingly sophisticated forms of misconduct and technology-enabled offenses.
The training is part of the institution’s continuing investment in its personnel.
“Ang pinakamagandang investment sa lahat ay investment sa tao. We invest in our people. Because that way, we can enrich the country,” OMB Remulla said.
Technical Working Group Chairperson Assistant Ombudsman Eliseo Cruz emphasized that the program was designed not only to sharpen the participants’ technical knowledge and skills but also to strengthen their judgment, discipline, character and commitment to truth, transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
“Behind every complaint is a citizen seeking justice. Behind every investigation is public trust. And behind every successful prosecution is an investigator whose professionalism, competence, and integrity made justice possible,” he said.
The Field Investigation Course is an intensive capability-building and formation program designed to strengthen the technical, legal, and operational competencies of personnel involved in fact-finding and field investigation.
Running from 30 June to 10 August 2026, the program is organized around Criminal Investigation and Graft Investigation modules, complemented by practical exercises and institutional exposure.
The course covers criminal and graft investigation including surveillance, interviewing, crime scene and evidence handling, digital and forensic investigation, procurement and corruption cases, lifestyle checks, asset tracing, infrastructure analysis, and legal report preparation. It also includes practical exercises, firearms and field-readiness training, and institutional visits to partner government agencies.#
