Labor chief Bello out of running for ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has been disqualified from consideration to be the next ombudsman, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

Guevarra, who is on the Judicial and Bar Council because he is Justice secretary, said that Bello has a pending case at the Department of Justice.

In a message to reporters, Guevarra said that he only learned about Bello's pending case on Friday morning, the same day that the council deliberated on the shortlist of ombudsman nominees.

Under the JBC's rules, those with "pending criminal or regular administrative cases" are disqualified "from being nominated for appointment to any judicial post or as ombudsman or deputy ombudsman." 

The council also requires applicants to submit a clearance or certification that a nominee has no pending cases.

It was earlier reported that Bello has a pending criminal case for graft and a pending administrative case for misconduct docketed in 2017 before the Office of the Ombudsman.

When Bello faced the JBC on June 20, he said that he had learned the day before the public interview that the "case has been resolved to our favor."

He presented to the panel, and the members of the media in a chance interview, a clearance that said that, as of June 18, 2018, he "has no pending criminal and administrative cases with the Office of the Ombudsman."

Guevarra added that he is still verifying the reason for Bello's disqualification, but said the case is separate from the one filed in 2017.

Only three candidates landed on the JBC's shortlist for the ombudsman post: Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Martires, Office of the Ombudsman Special Prosecutor Ediberto Sandoval and lawyer Felito Ramirez.

One of the three will take the seat of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales whose term will expire on Thursday, July 26. — Kristine Joy Patag