De Lima nominated to replace Merci

MANILA, Philippines -  Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was nominated for Ombudsman before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) yesterday.

In a letter to the JBC, Assistant State Prosecutor Romeo Senson said he nominated De Lima because she is most qualified to head the anti-graft agency.

“Secretary De Lima has shown her incorruptible stand, integrity

beyond reproach and character par excellence in serving the public,” he said.

Last week, De Lima announced she is not interested in the post of ombudsman.

“I feel it will be more fulfilling for me (to stay here),” she said. “I will decline any nomination.”

De Lima said she wants to stay in the Department of Justice (DOJ) where she feels she could be more effective.

“I’ve been here (in DOJ) for just less than a year,” she said.

“I’m just starting. There are many more problems, challenges to face. The mandate of the DOJ is broader, so I feel I can do a lot more.”

Under JBC rules, a nomination for a vacancy would only be accepted if the nominee agrees.

The eight-man council officially opened applications and nominations for the ombudsman post through an announcement published in The STAR last Friday.

It gave interested parties a non-extendible period of 10 days or until May 16 to submit applications and nominations.

It already received a nomination for lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. from former Pampanga governor Eddie Panlilio.

Francisco, who was among the complainants who had filed graft charges against former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo in connection to the controversial national broadband network deal with Chinese firm ZTE, accepted the nomination.

The JBC is expected to receive a nomination for Dean Jose Manuel Diokno, son of the late senator Jose Diokno, today.

He will be endorsed by the Free Legal Assistance Group.

The JBC is set to make public the official list of nominees for ombudsman after receiving all nominees and applicants and upon initial screening.

Republic Act 677, the Ombudsman Act, requires the ombudsman to be a natural born citizen of the Philippines, at least 40 years old, of recognized probity and independence, member of the Philippine Bar, and must not have been a candidate for any elective national or local office in the

immediately preceding election.

The ombudsman, who has a fixed term of seven years, must also have at least 10 years’ experience as a judge or law practitioner in the Philippines.