COA lauds Morales for gains in fight against corruption

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has been lauded for her accomplishments in the fight against graft and corruption during her first 100 days in office.

In a report, the Commission on Audit (COA ) said just three months after assuming office in July 2011, Morales was able to pursue the resolution of numerous pending cases.

From July 26, 2011 to Nov. 3, 2011, the anti-g raft agency’s Field Investigation Office has resolved 1,090 complaints, the COA added.

The COA said during the three-month period, 135 or 74 percent of 183 priority cases were disposed of and forwarded for approval by the Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication and Monitoring Office I.

Thirty-seven or 28 percent of 130 priority cases were also disposed of and forwarded for approval by PAMO II, while 1,093 or 98 percent of 1,119 cases docketed as of 2009 were acted upon by the Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication and Review Bureau (PARB), the COA added.

The COA said 21 convictions were obtained by the Prosecution, Information Evaluation and Monitoring Service (PIEMS) and the Prosecution and Monitoring Bureau (PAMB).

Some 1,313 requests for assistance, 75 conferences and 9,074 clearances were likewise acted upon by the Public Assistance Bureau, the COA added .

The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon resolved 33 percent of the identified priority cases involving high ranking officers during the same three-month period, the COA said.

Two court-decided cases from July to October 2011 resulted in the conviction of the accused and out of 19 criminal cases decided, 11 cases resulted in convictions.

The COA said the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao has  resolved 50 or 13 percent of 379 pending priority cases.

The Special Prosecution Bureau also secured four convictions from the cases actively prosecuted by the Ombudsman Special Prosecution Officers during first 100 days in office of Morales, the COA added.

The COA said the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Enforcement Offices had disposed of 124 cases from July to October 2011 and reduced pending request for assistance cases from 105 to only 67.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor had successfully prosecuted eight criminal cases during the same three-month period, the COA added.