Proposed legislation to strengthen the fight against corruption by empowering the Office of the Ombudsman will be among the partial recommendations of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee following its investigation into the flood control scandal, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.
Lacson said these include allowing the undermanned Office of the Ombudsman to deputize private lawyers as prosecutors, and giving it a law enforcement arm to apply for search warrants and follow up the investigation of corruption-related cases.
“One recommendation is based on the suggestion of former Senate President Franklin Drilon to allow the Ombudsman to deputize private lawyers to help in prosecuting cases, because the Office of the Ombudsman is very undermanned. If we allow it to deputize private lawyers to act as prosecutors by way of legislation, that would be a good measure,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Mga Panukalang Magpapalakas sa Ombudsman Kabilang sa Bahagyang Rekomendasyon ng Blue Ribbon sa Isyu ng Flood Control
He said a second recommendation involves a small dedicated law enforcement arm for the Ombudsman, which presently relies on help from other agencies like the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation.
“The Office of the Ombudsman should have its own law enforcement arm. Even if it is small, it should be dedicated, to allow it to apply for search warrants and conduct follow-up investigations of corruption-related cases,” he said.
Lacson said the partial recommendations are in line with the Blue Ribbon panel’s main task to conduct hearings in aid of legislation, adding many pieces of evidence stemming from its hearings were used by the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure in filing information before the courts.
Also, he said the Blue Ribbon Committee is almost finished working on its partial committee report. After the partial committee report is presented to the plenary, he said it may hold one to two more hearings to wrap up the investigation.
He stressed he is “very confident” that the Blue Ribbon Committee’s eventual committee report will be solid because it is “evidence-based.” “The committee report’s contents are based on evidence,” he said.
Lacson also said the subpoenas issued by the DOJ against personalities including former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada will not affect the Blue Ribbon panel’s investigation.
“What is more important to our committee report is the aspect of the probe in aid of legislation. The recommended pieces of legislation aim to correct our current system as part of our oversight mandate, to correct weaknesses in our current laws and strengthen our fight against corruption,” he said.
Zaldy Co’s Whereabouts
Lacson said it is up to the Executive Department to follow up on information that ex-Rep. Elizaldy Co “emerged” in Stockholm, Sweden at least last Jan. 15, based on a petition filed with the Supreme Court.
But he said the document does not automatically mean Co is staying in Sweden, adding it might even be meant to throw off investigators.
“A document indicating he was in Sweden does not automatically mean he is staying there. He could be on the move. It could even be meant to confuse those following him,” he said.
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Lacson: Mga Panukalang Magpapalakas sa Ombudsman Kabilang sa Bahagyang Rekomendasyon ng Blue Ribbon sa Isyu ng Flood Control
Mga panukalang magpapalakas sa laban kontra katiwalian sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng dagdag na kapangyarihan sa Office of the Ombudsman ang kasama sa mga partial recommendations ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee matapos ang imbestigasyon nito sa flood control scandal, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ngayong Huwebes.
Ani Lacson, kabilang dito ang pagpapahintulot sa Office of the Ombudsman na mag-deputize ng mga pribadong abogado bilang prosecutor, at ang pagbibigay dito ng sariling law enforcement arm na maaaring mag-apply ng search warrant at magsagawa ng follow-up investigation sa mga kasong may kinalaman sa katiwalian.
“Isa ang mungkahi ni former Senate President (at Justice Secretary) Franklin Drilon na payagan ang Ombudsman mag-deputize ng private prosecutors para tumulong sa pag-prosecute ng kaso. Kasi sa ngayon undermanned ang Office of the Ombudsman at nagha-hire pa sila ng lawyers. Pero kung bibigyan sila by way of legislation na pwede silang mag-deputize ng private lawyers para umakto bilang private prosecutors, magandang mungkahi yan,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM.
Ang isa pang rekomendasyon ay ang pagkakaroon ng maliit ngunit nakatuong law enforcement arm ang Ombudsman, na sa kasalukuyan ay umaasa sa tulong ng ibang ahensya tulad ng Philippine National Police at National Bureau of Investigation.
“Dapat may sariling law enforcement arm, maski maliit lang na dedicated, para nakakapag-apply sila ng search warrant ng sarili nila. At sarili nilang follow-up ang investigation ng mga corruption-related na kaso,” aniya.
Giit ni Lacson, ang mga bahagyang rekomendasyong ito ay naaayon sa pangunahing tungkulin ng Blue Ribbon na magsagawa ng mga pagdinig in aid of legislation. Sa aspeto ng prosekusyon, marami aniyang ebidensiyang lumabas sa mga pagdinig ang ginamit ng Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, at ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure sa pagsasampa ng mga kaso sa hukuman.
Dagdag pa niya, halos tapos na ang Blue Ribbon Committee sa pagbalangkas ng bahagyang committee report. Matapos itong iharap sa plenaryo, maaari pa silang magsagawa ng isa o dalawang pagdinig upang tuluyang tapusin ang imbestigasyon.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na “very confident” siya na magiging matibay ang pinal na committee report ng Blue Ribbon dahil ito ay “evidence-based.”
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na ang mga subpoena na inilabas ng DOJ laban sa ilang personalidad kabilang sina dating Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan at Sen. Jinggoy Estrada ay hindi makakaapekto sa imbestigasyon ng Blue Ribbon.
“Mas importante sa aming committee report at lalo na ang ia-adopt ang mga in aid of legislation kasi ang mga recommended pieces of legislation para ma-correct kasi kasama ng oversight sa aming mandate. Ito na nga yan, para ma-correct o ma-amend ang umiiral na batas o ma-complement para tumibay pa ang ating laban sa corruption,” aniya.
Kinaroroonan ni Zaldy Co
Ayon kay Lacson, nasa Executive Department na ang pagpapasunod sa impormasyon na si dating Rep. Elizaldy Co ay “lumitaw” sa Stockholm, Sweden noong Enero 15, batay sa petisyong inihain sa Korte Suprema.
Ngunit aniya, hindi nangangahulugan na permanente itong nananatili sa Sweden at maaari itong taktika upang iligaw ang mga sumusubaybay sa kanya.
“Hindi ibig sabihin kung siya nagsumpa ng kanyang petition sa Supreme Court at na-authenticate sa Sweden, di ibig sabihin doon siya permanente. Pwedeng lumipat siya ng lugar, alam mo na, para hindi rin siya masundan kung nasaan siya lilipat siya para doon siya magpapirma ng salaysay tapos aalis siya doon. Di naman conclusive na doon siya permanente. Pwedeng pangligaw din,” aniya.
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