Ombudsman filed 2,470 graft cases in 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman filed some 2,470 graft and other criminal cases against erring government officials and employees last year.

Quoting an annual report, lawyer Rhodora Galicia of the anti-graft agency’s Community Coordination Bureau said 155 of the complaints were lodged before the Sandiganbayan.

The rest numbering 1,315 involving lower-ranking officials were filed in different regional trial courts, she added.

Speaking at the Office of the Ombudsman’s weekly radio program over dzRB Radio ng Bayan, Galicia said among those charged before the Sandiganbayan last year were former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante, former justice secretary Agnes Devanadera, some former governors, and some former lawmakers.

The Office of the Ombudsman had completed preliminary investigation for some 4,819 complaints last year, she added.

Galicia, lawyer Cezar Tirol, and Media Affairs Division director Edgardo Diansuy also reported that the anti-graft agency had a 33.3 percent conviction rate for some 412 cases filed before the Sandiganbayan in 2011.

In the lower courts, the Office of the Ombudsman achieved a higher conviction rate of 62.6 percent covering 131 decisions rendered last year, they added.