Ex-deputy Ombudsman tampered with documents

MANILA, Philippines – Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has ordered the filing of criminal cases against former Deputy Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni and  two others for tampering with official documents.

Also ordered charged were former Assistant Ombudsman Nennette De Padua and former Executive Assistant Rosalyn D. Martinez, the Ombudsman announced in a statement on Monday, July 29. The charges will be filed with the Sandiganbayan.

Morales said Jalandoni and the two others patched the signatures of other Ombudsman officials in at least 13 cases, replacing them with Jalandoni’s own signature. The crime also caused the delay in the release of already-approved documents in 56 cases, according to Morales.

Jalandoni, who resigned in April 2011, was a key figure in the Office of the Ombudsman under resigned Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, an appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Gutierrez herself quit following Jalandoni, shortly before an impeachment trial against her could commence. The House of Representatives impeached Gutierrez on charges she betrayed public trust. The trigger for this was her decision to enter into a plea bargaining agreement with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia. 

In a Resolution approved on July 25, Ombudsman Morales found probable cause on 13 counts of Falsification of Public Documents under Article 171, par. 6 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), and 56 counts of Infidelity in the Custody of Public Documents through Concealment under Article 226 of the RPC.

Morales, in a separate decision, also found Jalandoni administratively liable for Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, which is punishable by dismissal from service and perpetual disqualification from holding public office, among others.

Since he had already resigned, Jalandoni’s penalty would be a fine equivalent to his one year salary, the Morales order said.

Filed by a colleague

The case stemmed from a complaint filed in 2011 by Jalandoni’s colleague, Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro, who said “that the 3 conspired in tampering with decisions, resolutions, orders and other official documents during their tenure in the Office of the Ombudsman, which irregularities were discovered when then Acting Ombudsman Casimiro ordered an inventory of pending cases after the resignation of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez,” according to the Ombudsman statement.

“In resolving this case, we are hoping to send a clear and unequivocal message that we are serious in preserving the integrity of the Office of the Ombudsman,” Morales said in the statement.

“We will not relent in our fight against all forms of anomalies in government, even those committed inside our own office, and even those perpetrated by our own high-ranking officials. As the people’s vanguard against corrupt and abusive public officials, it is imperative that we closely monitor our ranks. As such, Ombudsman officials and employees should be beyond reproach,” she added.

The criminal complaint against other Ombudsman employees — Amie Lou Fernandez, Associate Graft Investigation Officer; Grace Anne Arnan, Graft Prevention and Control Officer; and Ruby Ann Medallada, Administrative Aide — were dismissed for lack of probable cause, the statement said.

But the Ombudsman found Fernandez and Medallada administratively liable for Simple Misconduct and were meted the penalty of suspension for one (1) month and one (1) day. – Rappler.com