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Deputy Ombudsman dismissed over Quirino Grandstand hostage-taking incident

Update: The office of the Ombudsman is defying the President’s order and said it will not implement the dismissal of Gonzales because they have conducted their internal investigation and have cleared Gonzalez of any wrong doing.

Here’s the 15-page decision from the Office of the Executive Secretary: OP decision on Gonzalez

This is a press release from the Office of Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa , who headed the panel that reviewed the recommendation of the Investigation and Review Committee headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima that headed the investigation of the Aug. 23 tragedy.

We hope Gonzalez is just the first of those that will be hold accountable for the fiasco that cost the lives of 8 Hongkong nationals and a series of blunders in the country’s relations with China.We are waiting what the government will do with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno and former PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa. They too were negligent of their duties.

Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III has been dismissed by the Office of the President (OP) for gross neglect of duty and gross misconduct in handling the dismissal complaint against hostage-taker former P/Sr. Insp. Rolando Mendoza, on recommendation of Palace lawyers who reviewed the findings of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).

This is the first time that the Aquino Administration has taken a direct action against an official in connection with the August 23 hostage-taking following the review of the IIRC report by the Palace legal team headed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. The decision was issued on March 31, 2011. “This decision reflects this Administration’s commitment to hold those responsible for the hostage-taking incident accountable,” Ochoa said. “Those of us who serve government must be cognizant of the fact that people are affected by our failure to fulfill our responsibilities. In this case, lives were not only affected, they were lost,” Ochoa added.

In the15-page decision, the OP found an inordinate and unjustified delay in the resolution of the motion for reconsideration timely filed by Mendoza on his dismissal from police service – a clear neglect of performance of official duty. It said that the delay in the resolution of Mendoza’s appeal that spanned nine months constituted “a flagrant disregard” of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Rules and Procedure, which provide that a motion for reconsideration must be acted upon within five days from the submission of the documents.

The OP also said that there was substantial evidence to prove that Gonzalez committed gross misconduct for showing undue interest in taking over the administrative case filed against Mendoza, which was then pending investigation with the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service. It further noted that the delay in the resolution of Mendoza’s appeal was “all the more unjustified” since no opposition was ever filed against the former Manila police officer’s motion for reconsideration. “The circumstances surrounding the charges of gross neglect of duty and gross misconduct lent credence to Mendoza’s accusation during the hostage-taking incident that Gonzalez was extorting P150,000 from him in exchange for a favorable decision,Ochoa said.

Gonzalez had challenged the authority of the Office of the President to charge him administratively, asserting that it had no judicial or quasi-judicial jurisdiction over him. The Executive Secretary, however, explained that both transgressions – gross neglect of duty and gross misconduct – amounted to arbitrary and tyrannical exercise of authority and betrayal of public trust, which are grounds for the dismissal of Gonzalez from service by the President. In accordance with the Constitution and Republic Act No. 6670, or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, Ochoa said, the President has the power to discipline Gonzalez “even to the extent of meting out the supreme administrative penalty of dismissal.”

Published inJusticePeace and Order

41 Comments

  1. Ombudsman defiant, won’t fire deputy

    The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday said it will not implement a Malacañang order dismissing Deputy Ombudsman Emilio A. Gonzalez III.

    In a press conference, Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus questioned Malacañang’s authority to sack Gonzalez since the Ombudsman’s Internal Affairs Board had already cleared him of any offense.

    Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez further noted that the Ombudsman is independent from any other office of government as shown in Sec. 4, Art. XI, 1987 Constitution and Section 21 of Republic Act 6770.

    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/01/11/ombudsman-defiant-wont-fire-deputy

  2. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Power is conferred by law. To exercise it, one must find the law enabling him. There is nothing in the Constitution granting to the Ombudsman the power to remove the deputies. That power is granted to the President by RA 6770.

    The Ombudsman, in the Constitution, is treated like the Constitutional commissions. So, if there were no RA 6770, Merci should have been serving only the unexpired term of Marcelo. But because of the express provision in Section 8 (3) of RA 6770, Merci is enjoying a full term. She cannot be selective, and invoke Section 8 for herself, and reject the very same Section 8 (1) which provides the President with the power to remove deputies.

  3. Sec. 8 of R.A. 6770 -AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE FUNCTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

    Sec. 8. Removal; Filling of Vacancy. –

    (1) In accordance with the provisions of Article XI of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.

    (2) A Deputy, or the Special Prosecutor, may be removed from office by the President for any of the grounds provided for the removal of the Ombudsman, and after due process.

  4. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and her cabal think they are above the law.

  5. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Sorry. Subsection 2 pala. Thanks for the correction.

    If Emilio stays any longer, he may be liable for violation of Article 237 of the Revised Penal Code, prolonging performance of duties and powers.

  6. olan olan

    Mercy and her cabals..di na lang tumulong..talagang pahirap ng bayan!

  7. rose rose

    baka akala ni Maldita si putot pa rin ang boss! kaya naman pala nagkaganyan ang ating bayan…ang mga asong (tao psla) na inaasahan nating makatulong sa bayan ay hindi maasahan at hindi naintindihan ang batas na ginawa nila…paano ang pagbabago? saan ang tuwid na dadaanan? hindi kayang patumbahin ni Pnoy…hindi kaya ng madlang pipol si putot, si Maldita at si tabbaboy! Good grief!

  8. The defiant Ombudsman is openly challenging the President. Mayabang ang dating ni Assistant Ombudsman de Jesus sa pagsasabing sarado na raw ang kaso. Ibig sabihin, wala nang saysay ang action coming from the Office of the President in dismissing Deputy Ombudsman Gonzales. Ibig nilang iwagayway, mas may kapangyarihan ang Ombudsman!?

  9. ocayvalle ocayvalle

    this is what the filipino people are waiting for pnoy..
    to be strong and remove the obstacle of ” daang matuwid ” remove mercy and her cabals of evil in the ombudsman office.. next is that midnight appointee cj corona in the sc..!! mabuhay pilipinas..!!!

  10. chi chi

    Ang PI na pangit na Merceditas, nanggugulo! I see this MerciGut challenge to Pnoy as the last straw that will make help the senators decide to impeach the bruha.

    Sinong gagong senador ang papanig dito kay Merci ay dapat ding sipain ng mamamayan. Sobrang yabang ng tarantadang pangit na kambal ni Gloria!

    Grabe, akala ng mga tangnang ito ay hindi pa sila tapos. Last hurray mo yan, Merci…pupulutin ka sa kangkungan!

  11. chi chi

    Ginagaya ni Merci si Gaddafi! Sige, mamatay ka sa upuan mo!

  12. chi chi

    Thank you Ellen and atty sax for post #2 and #3, very clear provisions of the law that the office of the Ombudsgaga defies. Isama ito ng senado sa usapan sa impeach Merci!

  13. chi chi

    Now, is the time for Pnoy to call for a presscon at isigaw kay Gonzalez na “You are Fired!”.

    Sigurado tataas ulit ang rating nya! 🙂

  14. manuelbuencamino manuelbuencamino

    Obviously Mr De Jesus is not familiar RA6770. That’s grounds for firing him.

    Pero hanep naman talaga. They investigated and then exonerated themselves.

  15. Tedanz Tedanz

    Babae lang pala ang katapat ng Pangulo niyo 🙁 🙁 🙁

  16. Tedanz Tedanz

    Tignan natin kung sino ang mas may alam talaga sa Batas … para talagang malabo ang pagkakasulat ng mga Batas natin at laging may sumasalungat … bakit ganun .. o .. ganun talaga 🙂

  17. Mike Mike

    Sa tingin ko nangaasar lang si Merci. Alam niyang bilang nalang ang araw niya kaya ganun na lang ang inaasta niya. Sira ulo talaga!

  18. chi chi

    Maging maluwag kaya sa loob ni Gonzalez kung parurusahan din sina Mayor Lim at Verzosa? 🙂

  19. Umaasa ako na ma impeach talaga si Gutierrez. Kapag hindi siya na impeach tiyak madami ang magrereklamo sa kalsada.

  20. olan olan

    Gonzales deserved to be fired! Naiwasan sana yung Qurino hostage taking incident kung ginagawa niya trabaho niya.

    Dapat imbestigahan mabuti mga ginagawa ng mga taga ombudsman. Bisitahin yung mga extortion angle situations na nangyayari dito. Criminal yun..makulong sana ang gagong extortionist sa ombudsman office. parang halos lahat sila mga alalay ni mercy walang awa. Ngek! Public trust?? tinanong pa. ke pnoy meron ngayon sa inyo WALA!

  21. parasabayan parasabayan

    Chi, yan din ang tanong ko. Ano naman ang parusang ipapataw kay Verzosa, Lim at Puno?

  22. parasabayan parasabayan

    Kahit na anong mga kabalbalan ang gawin ni Maldita, yun lang mga nakasalang na kaso na tinuligsa (tama ba ito?) sa Congress and magiging basehan ng pagpapaalis kay Maldita.

  23. parasabayan parasabayan

    Mga mukhang “siga” nga itong mga Ombudsman, hindi lang si Malditas. Akala nila kaya silang pagtakpan ni Maldita. Kung si Maldita nga eh nanganganib ang pwesto eh itong mga assistants pa kaya niya?

  24. Babae lang pala ang katapat ng Pangulo niyo

    — Tedanz

    What on earth do you mean by that???? “Babae lang pala

  25. Isunod na si Asst. Omb. De Jesus. Gross ignorance of the law.

    De Jesus, you’re fucked! I mean fired.

  26. parasabayan parasabayan

    Pati na yung si Sulit na mukhang mga Versace pa at Gucci at iba’t ibang designer shawls ang gamit tuwing may senate hearing ng case ni Garcia. Sabi niya, yung plea bargain daw ni Garcia ay ang “WIN_WIN” solution. Naku!

  27. vic vic

    If this will be the pattern, there will be a few left of the public servants after a few years…and if it will stop just for a “sample” then the rest are just too smart not to know it.

  28. Rudolfo Rudolfo

    Hanip talaga ang “utak” ng matitigas na leader na Pilipino,lagi ng kalayaan-independent ang, basihan, walang paki-alaman daw, kanya-kanyang teretoryo…ANO ang kapangyarihan-power ng Pangulo ?..laway na lang ba ?..
    Kaya pati tuloy, maraming gusto ng kalayaan, pag-sasarili, katulad ng MNLF, dahil na din sa mga Utak na, dapat sila ang gumalang sa tamang batas?..Bakit pa kasi, naglagay ng OMBUDSMAN na opisina ?..sagabal sa pag-usad ng Bansa sa halip na umunlad ng madalian..batas ng Pinoy, di uubra sa mga katulad ng mga nasa Ombudsman..abangan na lang natin ang malaking hamon na ito, sa mga nanonood na PILIPINO, lalo na ki PNOY admin…baka isang umaga, LIBYA na din ang Pilipinas..kapag di na resolve ang problemang ito !..”tsunami ng batas sa Pilipinas ‘..tsktsktsk

  29. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Kung ayaw umalis sa puesto si Gonzalez di huwag ibigay ang kanyang sahod. Tingnan natin ang tibay niya.

  30. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    # 29.

    Don’t be naive. The salary is the last of their interests. The power to determine whether to prosecute or not can provide higher pecuniary benefits.

  31. olan olan

    ahhhh..sa madaling salita yung mga gobyernong tao na may kaso pinagbabayad para madelay o masira ang kaso. Yung mga dapat namang kasuhan pinagbabayad kaagad para di na kasuhan o madelay kasuhan…yung ayaw magbayad pinababayaan o kaya iipitin para magsipag magbayad…yung walang pambayad pinapabayaan hanggang masira ang ulo. eh ano naman ang papel ng korte suprema dito? bakit tahimik ata sila? di ba sila ang supervisor ng mga ito? may kapangyarihan sila na disiplinahin mga taga ombudsman na abusado? parang ala ata silang dinisiplina simula pa nuon…ahhehehehehe

  32. Tedanz Tedanz

    #24
    Anna, marami ang ibig sabihin niyan .. pero ang sa akin ay mukhang hinahamon ni Bakulaw etong Pangulo niyo. 🙁

    Eh, ano naman ang sagot ng Palasyo kung ayaw alisin ni Bakulaw itong si Gonzalez? Ang dami na nating sinabi pero mukhang walang sagot ang Palasyo kay Bakulaw. Baka tama naman siya … di kaya?

  33. rabbit rabbit

    syado nila binabastos ang presidente ng pilipinas, its about time prez.nonoy give them some color.. sobra namn ata mabait tong prez natin… kinakaya kaya nila
    i hope the prez dont take this sitting down,, sobra na binabastos …wake up sir prez.. your the president the boss not them,, please send this to malacanang

  34. rabbit rabbit

    one more,, if they have to physically carried him out of the office,, by all means PLS DO THAT.. for the sake of the country…

  35. tru blue tru blue

    “Don’t be naive. The salary is the last of their interests.” – snv

    Ditto high ranking police officials and politicians.

  36. Phil Cruz Phil Cruz

    How I wish that the others in the Ombudsman’s office would also behave like Assistant Ombudsman De Jesus and also show their defiance of the President’s orders.

    The more grounds there will be for the President to kick them out of their positions and appoint new ones.

    Go ahead, guys. Be defiant.

  37. Rudolfo Rudolfo

    Parang ipinahihiwatig ng mga “bakulaw ” sa Ombudsman office, “elected” sila ng taong bayan, at makapangyarihan pa sa Pangulo ng Bansa…talaga naman, sa Pilipinas lang ito, nangyayari !…”bakulaw” na ang pinaggagawa na halos lumpuhin si Juan de la Cruz o taong bayan,gusto pa nilang insultuhin ang ibinuto ng Taong Bayan. Ganito ba ang mga tapos sa mga paaralang, sabi nila, kagalang-galang na paaralan. Siguro, nagtuturo pa din sila ng “law subjects”,anong aral ang makukuha sa kanila, kung mismo batas nila ay bina-bastos at di iginagalang, di yong mga estudyante nila, tiyak mag-mamana sa pagbastos sa Saligang Batas. Ngayon, saan nga ba patutungo ang Pilipinas, sa kamay ng mga “BAKULAW” ??, mambubutas ng batas ??…comment and concern about the future of the country.

    Mga ” Bakulaw” sa gobyerno ang salot na dapat linisin ni Pangulong PNOY. Hanggan sila ay nandiyan, ang landas na liko-liko, ay di matutuwid. Ito din ang dapat silipin ng Senado, kung gusto din nila ng pagbabagong anyo ng Pilipinas, para sa mga anak-apo nila, at mga susunod na lahing Pilipino. Sobra na !..

  38. perl perl

    #36! Korek, Phil. Tulad ng pagsalbang ginawa nila kay Gen Garcia.. . ang epekto, nagpakamatay si Reyes at napabilis tuloy ang impeachement kay Malditas… hehe at sa ginawa ngayon ni De Jesus, gustong pa atang mauna pa syang kay Gonzales at Malditas na masibak sa pwesto…

  39. rose rose

    Tedanz: Nabasa ko sa isang sign store: Women’s faults are few; men only have two..everything they say and everything they do! totoo kaya ito?

  40. rose rose

    Mr. Ombudsman Gonzales: Pnoy said dismissed! not at ease!

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