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Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Sarangani protesters dialogue with Ombuds
MORE than 30 concerned citizens from the province of Sarangani picketed the office of the Ombudsman-Mindanao in Davao City to protest the alleged dilly-dallying of the criminal and administrative charges filed against 30 public officials of their province.
The group calling themselves Sarangani People's Action for Reform and Good Governance (Spare Go) had a dialogue with Deputy Ombudsman Antonio Valenzuela and filed a motion for reconsideration on the Ombudsman's earlier decision of denying the petition for immediate suspension filed by the group against Sarangani Gov. Miguel Escobar, Vice Gov. Felipe Constantino, eight provincial board members and several department heads over graft charges in connection with the alleged anomalous release of at least P41 million to ghost cooperatives and fictitious project beneficiaries.
As of presstime, however, the dialogue with Valenzuela was still ongoing and no one in authority could give updates on what was discussed.
Rev. Avelino Sichon, Spare Go executive committee member, said they came to Davao to check on updates with the case as no action has yet been recommended.
Sichon said they filed their petition for the immediate suspension of the public officials September last year.
Fr. Fred Maghanoy, chair of Spare Go, said the Ombudsman should take into account the recommendation of the anti-graft division of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) which recommended the filing of charges against elected officials and provincial employees named in the charge sheet.
Fr. Maganoy, who is also Alabel parish priest, said they already received a copy of the NBI report dated December 11, 2003 and signed by its anti-graft division chief Jose Justo Yap.
Apart from the NBI report, the Commission on Audit also reportedly found irregularities in the disbursement of provincial funds amounting to at least P41 million.
As this developed, Spare Go raised questions why Escobar filed a petition at the Supreme Court preventing the Office of the Ombudsman from suspending them from office.
Maghanoy said the report of the petition filed by Escobar and company reportedly appeared in a national business daily even if the complainants have not received any order from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, no government official, employee and member of the Philippine National Police may be suspended or transferred from office 90 days prior to an election.
Maghanoy, however, said under the election code, a government official or employee may be meted suspension on account of graft charges.
Last Dec. 10, the Commission on Elections issued a resolution prohibiting the suspension of government officials 147 days prior to the May 10 elections.
Maghanoy said government officials facing graft charges are not covered by the ban on suspension. BOT
(February 17, 2004 issue)
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