Ombudsman will not appeal Senator Revilla’s acquittal of 16 PDAF graft charges
The Office of the Ombudsman has rested its case against Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. This after the Sandiganbayan (SB) acquitted him for insufficiency of evidence on the remaining 16 graft cases in relation to the pork barrel scam. The SB First Division voted 3-2 to grant Senator Revilla’s Demurrer to Evidence, AND WE RESPECT ITS DECISION. Consistent with the defendant’s constitutional right against double jeopardy, Ombudsman Samuel Martires sets the policy of no longer challenging the dismissal of cases/quashal of information and judgments of acquittal, either through a motion to dismiss, a demurrer to evidence or by a decision, rendered by the trial courts or the Sandiganbayan except when the People was clearly deprived of due process or there was mistrial. In 2014, Senator Revilla was accused of diverting his Priority Development Assistance Fund for the years 2006 to 2009 to non-governmental organizations linked to Janet Napoles, and getting P224.5M kickback in the process. A demurrer to evidence is a motion to dismiss on the ground of insufficiency of evidence. The grant of the court of the demurrer is tantamount to an acquittal because the defendant is cleared of the criminal case and is no longer required to present his evidence. ### Public Information and Media Relations Bureau Office of the Ombudsman Telephone No. 8479.7300 local 2122
Read moreOMB rolls out values education campaign in pilot areas
The Office of the Ombudsman has launched its values education campaign as part of its character transformation plan under the umbrella of the WE PROTECT (We Establish Public Responsibility Outcomes through Enforcement, Collaboration and Transformation) program. Zeroing-in on developing an ethically precocious young population—arguably the most impressionable among its stakeholders—the values education and anti-corruption drive has been rolled out initially in 2 key areas: the province of Pangasinan in Luzon and the City of Calbayog in the Visayas. “We believe that by nurturing an anti-corruption attitude at an early age, the future generation will be armed with these anti-corruption stance and advocacy when they grow up as professionals and leaders of the nation,” Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires has repeatedly emphasized in the course of his 3 year-stint as the nation’s chief graftbuster. Couched in simple language, the central message of the values education campaign strikes a spiritual chord: “ANG TAONG MAY TAKOT SA DIYOS AY HINDI GAGAWA NG MASAMA. ANG KORAPSYON AY MASAMA.” In Pangasinan, the roll out started from the capital town itself—Lingayen—whose local chief executive vowed to echo the content and theme of the information, education, and communication (IEC) collaterals for each of the thirty-two (32) barangays in the capital town. “We have the same advocacy, to get rid of corruption as a major driver of social and economic development, said Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil who brought in key department heads of the Lingayen LGU in the roll-out conference. As of this writing, several local government units (LGUs) in the first district of Pangasinan have shown and displayed their commitment as local partners in the anti-corruption drive: the municipalities of Agno, Burgos, Sual, Dasol, Infanta and Mabini. A couple of church parishes has also signed in to be part of the character-driven campaign—the St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish (Agno) and the Immaculate Conception Parish (Bani). Over at Calbayog City, the Office of the Ombudsman has found a staunch ally in the Office of the Liga ng mga Barangay of Calbayog City led by Councilor Ariel Rosales. The IEC displays have been sprouting in strategic areas of the City where pedestrian and vehicular traffic is heavy. The values education campaign was launched in Iloilo City and the National Capital Region in 2019 but the initial roll out for the campaign collaterals was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a year later, given the circumstances, the Ombudsman saw it fit to roll out the campaign in the provinces. ### OMB IEC campaign roll out photo documentation PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS BUREAU (PIMRB) Telephone No. 8479.7300 local 2122
Read moreSC Rules that OSG Has No Control Over Ombudsman, Dismisses Petition
SC Rules that OSG Has No Control Over Ombudsman, Dismisses Petition
Read moreOmbudsman reiterates implementation of suspension order against MCIAA GM
The Office of the Ombudsman has required the office of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to submit the status of the implementation of the preventive suspension order issued against Steve Dicdican, General Manager of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority. In a letter to Secretary Arthur Tugade, the Office of the Ombudsman mentioned that it has been receiving reports that respondent continues to report to office despite the order for his preventive suspension. A copy of the preventive suspension order was likewise served upon Atty. Dicdican thru his official email address in accordance with the Supreme Court 2019 Revised Rules of Procedure. As a lawyer, he should not wait that the order be officially served upon him by the DOTr Secretary because he is expected to observe compliance with lawful orders of duly constituted authorities. Under the Office’s rules on procedure, a compliance report must be submitted by the DOTr within three calendar days from receipt of the Order of Implementation. The office of Secretary Tugade was provided with copies of the order on 17 December 2020. ### Public Information and Media Relations Bureau Office of the Ombudsman Telephone No. 8479.7300 local 2122
Read moreOmbudsman orders preventive suspension of MCIAA General Manager
Read the Ombudsman Order OMB-C-A-20-0176
Read moreSTATEMENT OF OMBUDSMAN SAMUEL R. MARTIRES
The directive of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra to investigate allegations of corruption in the government is most welcome. Secretary Guevarra is an intelligent and decent public servant who is well-respected by his peers and colleagues. The DOJ has been a long-standing partner of the Office in its drive against corruption. It will be recalled that the DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) played a pivotal role in the investigation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam that resulted into the Ombudsman’s swift action in resolving these cases. More recently, the DOJ filed a complaint with the Office, supporting the Ombudsman’s independent probe, which resulted into the issuance of the preventive suspension order against top officials of the Philhealth. Both the Ombudsman and the DOJ are members of the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council (IAAGCC), a multi-agency partnership established in 1999 as a voluntary alliance of government agencies to formulate and develop concerted techniques and strategies in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of graft cases. Several partnership agreements have also been forged between the two agencies to ensure the prompt handling and speedy disposition of cases. Given this partnership, there is absolutely no basis to detract or underestimate the laudable objectives of the President in creating the DOJ mega task force. In any case, investigations conducted by the DOJ involving complaints of corruption are subject to the evaluation of the Ombudsman. As an independent constitutional body, the Ombudsman assures the public that it will continue to conduct in-depth parallel investigations as to alleged anomalies in the government despite this Office’s limited manpower and the ongoing reorganization to strengthen the bureaus undertaking investigative functions. ### Public Information and Media Relations Bureau Office of the Ombudsman Telephone No. 8479.7300 local 2122
Read moreOMB Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2020 is solely applicable to SALNs filed with the Office of the Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman reiterates that the issuance of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 1 Series of 2020 is in accordance with prevailing rules and regulations on the disclosure of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of public officials and employees. The MC is applicable solely to the SALNs of the following enumerated officials and employees where the Office of the Ombudsman is the official repository: I. before the National Office of the Ombudsman: a. President b. Vice-President c. Constitutional Officials such as the Chairpersons and Commissioners of the Commission on Audit, Commission on Elections, and Civil Service Commission d. Ombudsman and the Deputies II. before the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions (Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao) a. Regional officials and employees of the following offices: – Departments, bureaus and agencies of the National Government – Judiciary and Constitutional Commissions and offices – Government-owned and/or controlled corporations with and without original charter, and their subsidiaries in the regions – State colleges and universities b. Provincial elective officials and employees including Governors, Vice-Governors and Sangguniang Panlalawigan members c. City and municipal elective officials and employees, including Mayors, Vice-Mayors, Sangguniang Bayan/Panlungsod Members and Baranggay officials d. Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines below the rank of colonel or naval captain – Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, 1st Lieutenant and 2nd Lieutenant (Army and Air Force) – Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant Senior Grade, Lieutenant Junior Grade and Ensign (Navy) – Other enlisted officers e. Officers of the Philippine National Police below the rank of Senior Superintendent – Superintendent, Chief Inspector, Senior Inspector and Inspector – Other police officers f. Officers of the Philippine Coast Guard below the rank of Commodore – Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade and Ensign It must be emphasized that this MC does not apply to other SALN repositories, i.e., the Office of the President, Secretary of the Senate, Secretary of the House of Representatives, Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court, Court Administrator, and the Civil Service Commission, for government officials and employees not mentioned above. ###
Read more