Deputy Ombudsman quits: Jalandoni, not Gonzalez

MANILA, Philippines - Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Mark Jalandoni resigned from his post yesterday, saying that he appeared to be next in line among those who are being targeted by Malacañang for dismissal.

“The charges leveled against me are baseless,” Jalandoni said in a short written statement coursed through Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Jose de Jesus Jr. a day after reports that administrative complaints accusing him of various offenses had been filed with the Office of the President.

“In order to spare the Office of the Ombudsman from further controversy, I have tendered my irrevocable resignation as Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon,” Jalandoni declared.

President Aquino had earlier dismissed Deputy Ombudsman for Military and Other Law Enforcement Officers Emilio Gonzalez III on the basis of what the Palace described as the inordinate and unjustified delay in resolving the administrative case against slain hostage taker Rolando Mendoza, who ran amuck in August last year, resulting in the death of eight Hong Kong tourists.

Gonzalez challenged the authority of the President over him, and Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez refused to implement the dismissal order, saying her deputy has been cleared and was not found to be negligent in the case of Mendoza, a retired policeman.

Malacañang ordered Gonzalez dismissed from government service last week for neglect of duty and grave misconduct in connection with the delay in the resolution of the Mendoza case.

The STAR learned that Jalandoni’s resignation letter was sent to Malacañang by registered mail.

Jalandoni’s resignation followed reports that he is the next official of the Office of the Ombudsman, after Gonzalez, facing administrative charges before the Office of the President.

Gonzalez has vowed to fight the dismissal order, stressing that his conscience is clear and that he did not ask for P150,000 in exchange for a favorable ruling as claimed by Mendoza.

Jalandoni, on the other hand, is reportedly facing three administrative complaints before the Office of the President, including one that accuses him of usurpation of authority for signing documents on behalf of Ombudsman Gutierrez.

The complainant was identified as one Antonio Baltazar of Tondo, Manila, whose graft case against former Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chair and now incumbent Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano was junked.

Jalandoni, former head of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office (FIO), was appointed Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon in March 2010.

He was former state prosecutor of the Department of Justice; a former Program Director of the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program (WPSBP), also of the DOJ; and a former undersecretary of the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

Jalandoni resigned about a month before the impeachment trial of Gutierrez is expected to begin at the Senate, where she stands accused of betraying public trust for allegedly sitting on high-profile cases involving the Arroyo administration.

De Jesus said that with the position of Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon vacant, Ombudsman Gutierrez would take charge of his duties and responsibilities.

He said an officer-in-charge can actually be appointed but he or she will only deal with administrative matters and not cases.