But she’s acting ombudsman who oversees investigation of high public officials accused of wrongdoing.
Graft investigators look into complaints and their findings she accepts or reverses before they are sent to the Tanodbayan in Manila for review.
She has been praised and scorned, for acting swiftly or sitting on complaints, for punishing offenders or letting them walk. Her anti-graft office is too slow or too quick, finicky over due process or runs roughshod over respondents’ rights.
Hailed and booed
When she asked her chief to suspend public officials linked to the “overpricing” of lamps bought for the Asean summit, there were cheers and boos.
And she talks to media a lot.
To the public wanting to check the progress of investigations involving VIPs, her updates are reassuring. To those stung by her statements, she’s recklessly imprudent.
Now Gov. Gwen Garcia is suing her for “grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, dereliction of duty, among others.”
Virginia had said “Nakabantay na sila,” referring to documents in the building of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).
That, Gwen says, implies “culpability” and shows “bias and partiality,” a pre-judgment.
There’s a big foot in Virgie’s mouth. And she has to get it unstuck before her own case can delay or confuse the CICC inquiry.
