Ombudsman employee penalized over info leaks, fake reso

MANILA -- An employee of the Office of the Ombudsman in Luzon has been suspended for six months for sharing confidential information on pending cases and keeping fake resolutions in a computer.

In a six-page order dated March 7, OMB Internal Affairs Board chairman and Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera said Jim Andrada, Administrative Assistant V, must be put under preventive suspension to give way for the investigation on charges of serious dishonesty and grave misconduct.

“Andrada’s continued presence in the workplace will allow him access to potential witnesses and evidence adverse to him, and thus compromise the integrity of the present investigation,” the order read.

In January 2013, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted an entrapment operation and arrested Antonio Alibio, process server of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, for extortion against an employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The ensuing investigation showed that Alibio’s cellphone contained messages with information on pending cases with Ombudsman-Luzon. Upon verification, the sender’s cellphone number was traced to Andrada who listed the same number in his Personal Data Sheet (PDS).

Later on, it was found that Andrada’s office computer contained fake resolutions and decisions of cases pending before Mosquera’s office.

Alibio is also under preventive suspension because of criminal and administrative charges. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)