Ombudsman-Visayas gets 5 new graft investigators

CEBU, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas graft investigation and prosecution division recently got five additional lawyers with the appointment of former public attorneys whose contracts were not renewed after having been caught in the cross-fire of the leadership conflict at the Public Attorney’s Office.

Lawyers Irish Amores, Luanne Ivy Cabatingan, Alfred Yann Oguis, Edsel Ensomo and Eleanor Tayad are scheduled to take their oath of office on Monday before Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol.

They were recently appointed as graft investigation and prosecution officers of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

The appointment of the five former PAO lawyers boosted the manpower of the anti-graft office’s investigation and prosecution division which lost one senior member to the judiciary recently after former graft investigator Allan Francisco Garciano was appointed judge of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Lapu-Lapu City.

Assistant Ombudsman for the Visayas Virginia Palanca-Santiago said they now have 18 graft investigators and prosecution officers who will conduct preliminary investigations and prosecute cases in court against public officials and employees.

Although they still have three to four more positions for graft investigator Santiago believes that the appointment of the former PAO lawyers is sufficient to tackle the investigations of the pending cases.

Santiago said what they really lack are associate graft investigators who will conduct fact-finding investigations. According to Santiago, there are only six people assigned to the fact-finding division which is not enough to handle all the work their office is doing.

The five former PAO lawyer’s contracts were not renewed after they were caught in the cross-fire of the conflict at the PAO. There was a petition earlier signed by some PAO lawyers against regional public attorney Maria G-Ree Calinawan. — Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)