Ombudsman scores critics

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez yesterday lambasted her critics who have called for her resignation for her alleged failure to prosecute suspects in corruption cases.

Gutierrez told guests at the “Newsstand Forum” at the Ambassador Hotel in Manila that these critics have not even contributed nor helped in addressing the problem of corruption in the country.

“What have you done to address corruption? Why don’t you help us out in the Office of the Ombudsman? Work with us,” Gutierrez said at the forum, which was also attended by Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni.

“When you call for the resignation of somebody, you should have the moral authority,” she said.

Gutierrez said she had already resolved about 18,000 cases out of the approximately 21,000 cases, which she “inherited” when she was assigned at the Office of the Ombudsman. “I am not sleeping on the job,” she said.

She explained that in the case of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante who was accused of misusing more than P700 million intended to buy fertilizers for poor farmers, the Ombudsman had to collect evidence nationwide, which takes time.

Gutierrez said the Bolante case requires a nationwide investigation. “How many municipalities, provinces, regional districts, how many personalities involved. That’s not an easy task to do. Is that an easy job to get evidence in the whole country?” she added.

She said the Ombudsman also handles several other programs such as corruption prevention work, social service caravan, teaching exemplars, integrity development review to assess all agencies of government to check on the vulnerabilities in corruption, and give recommendations to several government agencies.