Ombudsman clearance now available at SM malls

MANILA, Philippines - Retiring government officials and employees or those simply in need of the document for other purposes may now apply for an Office of the Ombudsman clearance in SM shopping malls.

In its bid to provide accessible and quality frontline services, the anti-graft agency anmnounced on Thursday that it has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with SM Mart, Inc., making its Ombudsman clearance application services available in SM business service centers nationwide.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and SM President Consuelo Monasterio signed the MOA last July 25, 2014 at the SM North EDSA Activity Center.   

SM currently operates a chain of nationwide business service centers and bills payment collection counters which can serve as alternative receiving and payment counters to augment OMB’s regional and central offices.

An Ombudsman Clearance is an official document certifying that a person has no criminal, administrative or forfeiture case pending with the Office of the Ombudsman. 

If there appears to be such pending case against the applicant, the Office of the Ombudsman said it shall instead issue a certification of pending case or cases.

The anti-graft agency said paper applications in the Ombudsman offices in Quezon City, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro and Davao City may still be availed of, in addition to online applications that may be lodged at www.ombudsman.gov.ph