Acting Ombudsman warns crooks in government

Acting Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio, Jr. has set his sights at what he called "enemies of the people in the government service" who he want to "boot out without mercy."

Gervacio said he would be strict in imposing harsh sanctions against government officials and employees found guilty of violating laws in the performance of their duties.

"A public official was deliberately do things that are inimical to public interest has no business being in the government service," he told a news conference in his office in Quezon City.

Gervacio, a former trial court judge who rose from the ranks as a career official in the country’s anti-graft court, took over in acting capacity this week following the retirement from the service of Ombudsman Aniano Desierto. Gervacio has been Overall Deputy Ombudsman since 1999.

The 64-year-old Gervacio, who joined the Ombudsman as prosecutor in 1984 is known as a quiet worker, who has been uncompromising in his decisions as a judge. Ombudsman officials and employees have called on President Arroyo to appoint Gervacio as permanent replacement to Desierto.

Meeting reporters for the first time as the acting Ombudsman, Gervacio said he would expedite disposition of complaints filed in his office "to speed up dispensation of justice."

"We will not slacken in our investigations and we will be aggressive in the prosecution of criminal cases," Gervacio said.