Cases filed by Ombudsman up by 145% in 2013

MANILA, Philippines – The Ombudsman filed a total of 969 criminal charges against erring public officials before the Sandiganbayan in 2013.

This is a 145.32% increase compared to 2012’s figures when 395 cases were filed. 2013’s figures are also the highest number of cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in the last 18 years. In 1995, the anti-graft body filed 1,329 cases.

The most number of cases against government officials was concentrated in Metro Manila, with 481 government officials charged. 257 of these cases were graft charges, while 168 were for estafa.

Other regions with a high number of cases are as follows:

• Cagayan Valley Region (Region II) – 166 
• Western Visayas (Region VI) – 120 
• Ilocos Region (Region I) – 95 
• Central Luzon (Region III) – 42 

Notable personalities that the Ombudsman filed cases against include Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Augusto Syjuco Jr and former Agriculture Secretary Luis Ramon Lorenzo Jr.

Syjuco is charged with 6 counts of graft due to allegations of overpricing training equipment he acquired in 2007 valued at P302 million.

Lorenzo is also accused of graft for alleged conspiracy with former board officials of Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp (Quedancor) on irregularities in a P48.6-million supply contract to a livestock feed supplier.

Despite the graft court’s 32.23% increase in case disposal – 480 cases resolved in 2013 compared to 2012’s 363 – the increase in the Ombudsman’s filing resulted in a sharp increase of case load for the Sandiganbayan. From 2,299 pending cases in 2012, their load went up to 2,862 cases as of December 31, 2013. – Rappler.com