DAVAO CITY, Mar 24 (PIA) The newly-appointed Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao revealed the current evaluation of the resident ombudsman program to effectively fight graft and corruption in the government service.
Atty. Rodolfo Elman, deputy ombudsman for Mindanao said there were instances where resident ombudsmen were involved in irregularities by which his office also filed cases against them.
He said cases about erring ombudsmen occur in areas which are far from the central or Mindanao office like the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Elman said his office has been very careful in accrediting ombudsmen especially in far-away places.
He said there were instances when accredited ombudsmen abuse by using large identification cards, consequently deceiving the confidence of the public.
“There is an ongoing review of the resident ombudsman program, and one measure that we have followed here is not to allow them to conduct fact-finding investigation. They are primarily responsible in extending public assistance,” Elman said.
He said fact-finding investigations are usually done by his office or with the cooperation of other agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation.
Elman clarified that resident ombudsmen are not employees of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao, but they have been designated to act as the agency’s eyes and ears, and to act immediately on requests for assistance that they may receive in their respective offices.
He explained that the designation of resident ombudsman is prompted by the lack of manpower in his agency.
“We have to get the necessary assistance from them and they are required to submit regular reports to us on their accomplishments on a regular basis,” Elman said.
He said his office even seeks the observation of the clergy particularly their observation on the character of the candidate for the post.
Meantime, Elman enumerated the cases filed by the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao against officials of local government units and employees of line government agencies as of the end of 2013.
He said these were 344 cases filed against LGUs, 40 cases against employees of the Department of Agrarian Reform, 36 cases against the employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 21 cases against the employees of the Land Transportation Office, 18 cases against the employees of the Department of Education, 17 cases against the members of the Philippine National Police, 14 cases against the employees of state colleges and universities, 13 cases against the employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, nine cases against the employees of the Department of Agriculture, four against the employees of Bureau of Customs, four against the employees of the Department of Interior and Local Government and three against the employees of the Bureau of Fire Protection. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
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