To strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman in fulfilling its constitutional mandate to fight corruption, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has filed a bill creating a law enforcement service that would empower it to effect arrests and detention, searches and seizures in accordance with the law – and said he is prepared to expedite its passage.
Lacson said this is one of the ways to show his “appreciation and sympathy” for the Office of the Ombudsman after seeing the challenges it faces in probing various cases involving flood control, reclamation and other infrastructure projects.
In Filipino: Lacson Bill, Palalakasin ang Anti-Corruption Powers ng Ombudsman sa Pamamagitan ng Marshall Service
“The bill I filed gives the Ombudsman its own law enforcement arm focusing on graft and corruption cases under the mandate of the Ombudsman, to show my support for their work. With the law enforcement arm, it can apply for search warrants and serve arrest warrants to make its job easier,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on One News’ Storycon late Monday.
He noted that the Ombudsman currently relies on law enforcement agencies such as the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation to assist in serving warrants and carrying out other law enforcement functions.
“The Ombudsman needs its own law enforcement arm. It currently relies on help from the PNP and NBI,” he said.
He added he has coordinated with Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights where his bill has been referred, to prioritize the hearings and sponsorship on the floor – or to authorize the creation of a subcommittee and allow him to defend the measure in plenary in order to expedite its enactment into law.
Also, Lacson has sounded off Rep. Beatrix Luistro, the chairperson of the committee in the House of Representatives handling the House counterpart of his bill.
Last Aug. 12, Lacson filed Senate Bill 2394, which seeks to create the Ombudsman Marshall Service that would conduct proactive inspections, inquiries and investigations to gather evidence and build up cases.
“In order to strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman in the exercise of its power to investigate, it is essential to afford the Office of the Ombudsman the power to effect arrests, detention, searches and seizures in accordance with the performance of its mandate imposed by no less than the Constitution itself,” he said in his bill.
Skip to PDF contentHe added the proposed law enforcement service would make an “immense contribution” to empowering the Office of the Ombudsman in fulfilling its mandate.
Earlier this year, Lacson said empowering the Ombudsman is among the partial recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee following its hearings into anomalous flood control projects.
Under the bill, Section 15 of RA 6770 (Ombudsman Act of 1989) shall be amended with a provision creating the Ombudsman Marshall Service. The service would be headed by a Special Investigator with the rank, salary, emoluments, benefits and retirement privileges of a Deputy Ombudsman.
The service’s peace officers, to be known as Ombudsman Marshals, would be authorized to make arrests and effect detention, searches and seizures and conduct various forms of investigation in accordance with the law.
They may carry suitable firearms for their protection in connection with their duties and for the protection of witnesses and persons in custody without need for permit from other government agencies.
Also, the Ombudsman Marshall Service may be called upon to enforce any order, writ or process of the Office of the Ombudsman, Sandiganbayan or any anti-corruption court, agency or unit.
Meanwhile, the bill provides adequate facilities for persons in custody, including detainees under investigation, whistleblowers and witnesses.
The bill also amends Section 11 of RA 6770, authorizing the Ombudsman Marshall Service to enforce decisions, resolutions, orders and writs of the Office of the Ombudsman, including citations for contempt.
It amends Section 6 of RA 6770 giving the Special Investigator the rank, salary, emoluments, benefits and retirement privileges of a Deputy Ombudsman.
Funding shall be sourced from the regular budget of the Office of the Ombudsman and shall be augmented yearly as may be appropriate.
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Lacson Bill, Palalakasin ang Anti-Corruption Powers ng Ombudsman sa Pamamagitan ng Marshall Service
Upang palakasin ang Office of the Ombudsman sa pagtupad sa konstitusyonal nitong mandato na labanan ang korapsyon, naghain si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ng panukalang batas na lilikha ng isang law enforcement service na magbibigay dito ng kapangyarihang magsagawa ng pag-aresto at pagdetine, paghahalughog at pagsamsam alinsunod sa batas – at iginiit na handa siyang gawin ang kinakailangan para pumasa ito.
Ani Lacson, isa ito sa mga paraan upang maipakita niya ang kanyang suporta para sa Office of the Ombudsman matapos niyang makita ang mga hamong kinakaharap nito sa pagsisiyasat sa tambak-tambak na kaso na may kinalaman sa flood control, reclamation at iba pang infrastructure projects.
“At least ang aking bill na filed, bibigyan sila ng sarili nilang law enforcement arm focusing on graft and corruption cases under the mandate of the Ombudsman… dahil na-appreciate ko ang hirap ng kanilang trabaho. Pwede mag-apply for search warrant, mag-serve ng arrest warrant, para medyo mapadali ang kanilang buhay,” aniya sa panayam sa *Storycon* ng One News nitong Lunes ng hapon.
Binanggit niya na sa kasalukuyan ay umaasa ang Ombudsman sa mga law enforcement agency gaya ng Philippine National Police at National Bureau of Investigation para tumulong sa pagse-serve ng mga warrant at pagsasagawa ng iba pang law enforcement functions.
“Kailangan ng Ombudsman ng law enforcement arm. Kasi sa ngayon umaasa sila sa PNP and NBI,” aniya.
Dagdag ni Lacson, nakipag-ugnayan na siya kay Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chairman ng Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights kung saan ini-refer ang kanyang panukalang batas, upang bigyang-prayoridad ang mga pagdinig at sponsorship nito sa plenaryo — o kaya ay pahintulutan ang paglikha ng isang subcommittee at payagan si Lacson na ipagtanggol ang panukala sa plenaryo upang mapabilis ang pagsasabatas nito.
Nakipag-ugnayan na rin si Lacson kay Rep. Beatrix Luistro, chairperson ng komite sa House of Representatives na humahawak sa counterpart ng kanyang panukala sa Kamara.
Inihain ni Lacson ang Senate Bill 2394 noong Agosto 12. Layon nito ang likhain ang Ombudsman Marshall Service na magsasagawa ng proactive na inspeksyon at imbestigasyon upang mangalap ng ebidensya at bumuo ng mga kaso.
“In order to strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman in the exercise of its power to investigate, it is essential to afford the Office of the Ombudsman the power to effect arrests, detention, searches and seizures in accordance with the performance of its mandate imposed by no less than the Constitution itself,” aniya sa kanyang panukala.
Dagdag niya, ang panukalang law enforcement service ay magkakaroon ng malaking kontribusyon sa pagbibigay-kapangyarihan sa Office of the Ombudsman upang matupad ang mandato nito.
Binanggit ni Lacson noong Enero na ang pagpapalakas sa Ombudsman ay isa sa mga partial recommendations ng Blue Ribbon Committee matapos ang mga pagdinig nito sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, aamyendahan ang Section 15 ng RA 6770 (Ombudsman Act of 1989) upang maglaan ng probisyon para sa paglikha ng Ombudsman Marshall Service. Pamumunuan ang serbisyo ng isang Special Investigator na may ranggo, sahod, emoluments, benepisyo at retirement privileges na katumbas ng isang Deputy Ombudsman.
Ang mga peace officer ng serbisyo, na tatawaging Ombudsman Marshals, ay bibigyang-kapangyarihang magsagawa ng pag-aresto at pagdetine, paghahalughog at pagsamsam, at iba’t ibang uri ng imbestigasyon alinsunod sa batas.
Maaari rin silang magdala ng angkop na mga armas para sa kanilang proteksyon habang ginagampanan ang kanilang mga tungkulin, gayundin para sa proteksyon ng mga testigo at mga taong nasa kustodiya, nang hindi nangangailangan ng permit mula sa ibang ahensya ng gobyerno.
Pwede ring atasan ang Ombudsman Marshall Service na ipatupad ang anumang order, writ o proseso ng Office of the Ombudsman, Sandiganbayan o anumang anti-corruption court, ahensya o unit.
Samantala, naglalaan ang panukala ng sapat na mga pasilidad para sa mga taong nasa kustodiya, kabilang ang mga detainee na iniimbestigahan, whistleblower at mga testigo.
Aamyendahan din ng panukala ang Section 11 ng RA 6770 upang bigyang-kapangyarihan ang Ombudsman Marshall Service na ipatupad ang mga desisyon, resolusyon, order at writ ng Office of the Ombudsman, kabilang ang mga citation for contempt.
Aamyendahan nito ang Section 6 ng RA 6770 upang bigyan ang Special Investigator ng ranggo, sahod, emoluments, benepisyo at retirement privileges na katumbas ng isang Deputy Ombudsman.
Kukunin ang pondo para rito mula sa regular na budget ng Office of the Ombudsman at dadagdagan taun-taon kung naaangkop.
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