Unleash the sleeping watchdog

There's probably no denying that the now beleaguered Ombudsman has reached her high perch in government due to her traceable connection with the Palace.

There's also no gainsaying that it's ironically ludicrous at least, that the highest czarina against graft and corruption be the unlikely target of impeachment. Likewise, it's befuddling that the impeachment against Merceditas Gutierrez is led by the venerable Jovito Salonga, not just any petty trouble-maker.

It's no secret that Gutierrez was a law classmate of the First Gentleman, and both reportedly hurdled the BAR on second try. Hence, fraternal kinship is presumed to have backed Gutierrez' designation as presidential legal counsel before taking over as national anti-graft watchdog after Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo resigned.

Media allegations appear tenable that before the Salonga impeachment move, lots of complaints had raged against Gutierrez for sitting on many cases on graft and corruption enmeshing the administration. Cited are the ZTE/NBN deal, the Mega Pacific fiasco against former Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos Jr., the collusion mess cited by the World Bank over public works projects bidding, the Bolante fertilizer scam, the ex-DOJ secretary Hernando Perez dollar bribe, the Euro generals scandal, to name some major incidents.

These purportedly constitute betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution for Gutierrez' alleged inaction, and mishandling of such cases, ostensibly to favor the establishment… Gutierrez fought back, singling out LP chair emeritus Jovy Salonga, and 2010 presidential wannabe Senator Mar Roxas, and other Liberal Party stalwarts for politicking. She cited her recent filing of graft cases against former congressman Nereus Acosta of Bukidnon and his mother, to have triggered the LP vengeance against her.

In her tv interview Gutierrez also spewed fire at her own Deputy, Dennis Villa-Ignacio who, after getting Erap convicted for plunder by the Sandiganbayan, has taken an indefinite long leave of absence. Incidentally, Villa-Ignacio, whose daughter allegedly lords over the office of her father, also took Gutierrez' rant with umbrage.

It doesn't matter who is right or at fault between boss Gutierrez and subordinate Villa-Ignacio, but it's clear that her office appears not working well. And the thick pile of high profile cases is unresolved, or unmoving. In fact, from this end, there are accumulating pending cases purportedly now with the Ombudsman without any decision, such as, those on some LGU illegal or excessive expenditures on yearly allowances, unliquidated cash advances, that Cebu girl scout fund mess, and corruption complaints. Two of such delayed cases are the reinvestigated lampposts over-pricing, reportedly being only toyed with by the handling prosecutor at the Sandiganbayan.

Some say that the Ombudsman dabbles in trivial matters, like, that one allegedly of Mayor Tommy Osmeña kicking a sidewalk barbecue vendor and also that of his ousting a barangay functionary from his office. Not that the Ombudsman-Visayas exceeded its jurisdiction, but on the ridiculous fact that these are too trivial for that office to take up, especially on its own. Or even violations of the RP "red plate" vehicles are trivial that could be assumed by COA.

Meantime, there is no controverting that after the tenure of Ombudsman Marcelo who felt overworked and exhausted, the piling up of graft and corruption complaints unresolved and/or dismissed during Gutierrez' time has alarmingly multiplied. And many of them, again, are with Palace or administration involvement, and many LGU satraps. In fairness though, lately the Ombudsman has taken action against 17 DPWH officials on the World Bank plaint for collusion on rigged bidding.

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