MORE than half of graft cases filed against erring public officials before the Office of the Ombudsman last year were dismissed.
The anti-graft office reported that it resolved a total of 6,677 criminal and administrative cases last year.
As of January 2014, out of 16,492 pending cases, 9,815 are still to be resolved.
But the ombudsman said 75 and 80 percent of administrative and criminal cases, respectively, were dismissed.
The case dismissal was based on various grounds such as the lack of jurisdiction, prescription, condonation doctrine, lack of merit or want of probable cause.
While the dismissal rate nationwide may be high, the anti-graft office posted a 40 percent case disposal rate.
About 548 criminal complaints were filed before the regular courts and another 961 cases were filed before the Sandiganbayan in 2013.
Highest
The number of graft cases filed before the anti-graft court is the highest in the past 18 years, or double that of 2012, the anti-graft office said.
In an interview, Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol said the nationwide case disposal rate showed that the anti-graft office, under the leadership of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, is determined to curb dishonesty in government.
In the report, the anti-graft office said only 790 administrative cases resulted in the imposition of penalties against erring public officers and employees ranging from fine to dismissal from service.
The ombudsman said three percent of the disposed cases were referred to other government agencies or for case buildup.
Of the 8,193 total criminal case workload for 2013, about 3,186 criminal cases, or 39 percent, were resolved, leaving a balance of 5,007 criminal cases carried over to 2014.
About 5,833 cases were carried over from 2012 and additional 2,360 newly instituted criminal cases for 2013.
While criminal case workloads rose to 17 percent in 2013, the ombudsman said case dockets for criminal cases reduced by 14 percent, from 5,833 in 2012 to 5,007 in 2013.
Administrative cases
Out of the total administrative case workload of 8,299, about 42 percent, or 3,491 administrative cases were resolved, leaving a balance of 4,808 administrative cases carried over to 2014.
Of the total administrative case workloads, 5,883 cases were carried over from 2012 and additional 2,416 newly instituted administrative cases for 2013.
Although administrative case workload increased by 10 percent in 2013, the ombudsman said it reduced the year-end docket for administrative cases by 18 percent, from 5,883 in 2012 to 4,808 in 2013.
In the Visayas, the Ombudsman Visayas dismissed from service about 114 public officials after they were found liable for various administrative offenses in the past three years.
The Visayas Ombudsman sacked 36 government workers in 2011; dismissed 41 public workers in 2012; and fired 37 state workers last year.
The Ombudsman Visayas also suspended 248 government workers from 2011 to 2013 for various administrative violations. Of this number, 56 public workers were suspended in 2011; 105 state personnel in 2012 and 87 government employees in 2013.
Deputy Ombudsman Apostol said that most of the dismissed public officials committed gross misconduct or serious dishonesty.
Malversation of public funds or falsification of public documents involving huge amount of government money are considered serious dishonesty, said Apostol.
He said government workers who displayed conduct that is “grossly prejudicial to the interest of government” may be dismissed.
“When you are a government official, you should project that image even outside of your office,” said Apostol.
Apostol also said some of pending cases are due to the delay in the submission of report by other government agencies, such as the Commission on Audit. (GMD)