Graft, corruption plaints can be filed at CSC

Administrative graft and corruption complaints are no longer the exclusive domain for the Office of the Ombudsman because these can now be filed also at the Civil Service Commission.

The Ombudsman however will now entertain administrative complaints of other nature other than graft and corruption.

Civil Service regional director David Cabanag said CSC chairwoman Karina Constantino-David issued an office memorandum informing that the CSC-Ombudsman agreement for the handling of administrative graft and corruption cases had been terminated.

Cabanag said that CSC officials have been instructed not to receive referrals from the Ombudsman and return those complaints referred after January 28, which is 30 days after the termination of the agreement was served.

The memorandum does not have any major effect in Central Visayas since they have a strong collaborative relationship with the anti-graft office headed by director Virginia Palanca-Santiago, said Cabanag.

He said the termination of the agreement between the two offices was merely intended to make both offices resume their respective jurisdiction.

Under that agreement, the Ombudsman will only handle graft and corruption cases or those pertaining to the use of public funds.

The CSC, on the other hand, will look into administrative disciplinary cases, not involving graft and corruption, provided that the offender is not an elective official or a presidential appointee.

Cabanag said the CSC could only look into a complaint of an elective or a presidential appointee if the case is about personnel management.

The termination of the agreement, however, means that graft and corruption complaints against public officials can now be filed at the CSC.

"It means that we no longer refer, if a complaint is filed at our office, but we immediately act on it; the Ombudsman also does the same," Cabanag said.

Cabanag said he has yet to discuss the matter with Director Santiago but he presumed that the anti-graft office would not refer now to the CSC those administrative cases on graft and corruption. - Ferliza C. Contratista