When the Ombudsman struck

It seems unbelievable, but the haze, or smoke, from the burning forests in Indonesia has already spread to central Mindanao. Earlier, we only heard about it affecting Malaysia and other neighboring countries of Indonesia. Now, it has reached our own country, and has affected even travel here, because flights to Manila and other parts of the Philippines, especially from Cotabato, are being cancelled. And people there are starting to wear masks, to avoid breathing in the polluted air.

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A few months ago, we had mentioned the complaints of Indonesians themselves about the haze problem. Reports said it was caused by the burning of several forests in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia that were being cleared for the purpose of constructing a commercial center. The burning has been going on for some time now, and complaints about the pollution have been aired, but it is surprising that the government there has not done anything about it until now. Is commercialism foremost to them, more than the health and comfort of their people? And now the haze has reached even our own shores.

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What a headline the news must have made in China – if such occurrences are not undercersorhip there. A group from the Chinese consulate in Cebu gathered in a restaurant to celebrate the birthday of a staff member, and suddenly two of the partygoers were shot dead, and by members also of their office. The two killed were male and female, and the suspects were also a man and a woman. What could have caused such a bloody end to a supposedly happy occasion? Luckily, the consul himself was spared, but the local police were having a difficult time getting statements because, for one, the suspects kept saying “No speak English”.

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The incident was no ordinary crime, even if it was obviously murder, but our police and our courts may not take a hand in it because of claims of diplomatic immunity by the suspects. So China will take care of its own, and deal with the suspects themselves. I suppose they will bring some of the policemen who responded to the crime, to China to give evidence at the trial, but we may no longer be privy to the developments. An interesting note to the reports on the crime is the disclosure of the police that they have the CCTV tapes on the incident. Let's hope these are not the blurred and inferior ones where those involved are indistinguishable.

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The bold headline of the Manila Bulletin yesterday said “OMBUDSMAN STRIKES AGAIN”. And indeed, the Office of the Ombudsman (shouldn't we be specific and call it Ombudswoman when a female heads the office?). Really, Madame Conchita Carpio Morales must be literally burning the midnight candle as she rushes up her job of resolving the hundreds, maybe thousands, of cases she has to deal with. One cannot help admiring her, and be thankful for the decision to assign her to that office. I believe she wants to make the people aware of the officials who have committed wrongdoings while in office, knowing that many of them will be seeking reelection.

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Among those “struck” in yesterday's media were the governor of Capiz, Vicente Tanco Sr. and his son, and also his security officer, Vladimir Tanco, who have been ordered dismissed for charges of extortion. The father and son allegedly demanded P3 million from the contractor of a P32.9 million hospital project. The Ombudsman also meted a one-year suspension to the Governor of Camarines Sur, Eduardo Tallado, for his failure to rehire an employee who had been fired, despite an order of the Civil Service Commission to do so. With the governor were also suspended his Provincial Legal Officer and Supervising Administrative officer, all of them on charges of oppression and grave abuse of authority.

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Also included in those headline stories was the case of Bacolod City's former (after filing his CoC for congressman) City Administrator Rolando Villamor, who, luckily for him, can no longer suffer suspension because, as stated by Comelec officials, he was considered resigned upon the filing. But I understand the actual case against him will still be pursued since it is being acted on by the Ombudsman's office. What do we expect from all those rulings of the Ombudsman? Of course all of the respondents will try all kinds of legal strategies and maneuvers to wriggle free of conviction, or at the very least, delay further action – until after the elections.*

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