Ombudsman Gutierrez stays 'til 2012 - assistant

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday contested earlier claims that Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’s term would expire in October this year, saying the embattled official would stay at her post until December 2012. In a statement, Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni said Gutierrez’s term is not a continuation of the unfinished term of her predecessor, Simeon Marcelo, as claimed by opposition Senator Francis Escudero. Marcelo resigned in November 2005 due to health reasons. Jalandoni said Gutierrez is entitled to complete a full seven-year term. He cited Section 8 (3) of the Republic Act No. 6770, also known as the Ombudsman Act of 1989, which stipulates that: “In case of vacancy in the Office of the Ombudsman…the Overall Deputy Ombudsman shall serve as Acting Ombudsman in a concurrent capacity until a new Ombudsman shall have been appointed for a full term.” President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Gutierrez in December 2005 as Marcelo’s successor. Gutierrez was a batch-mate of President Arroyo’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, at the Ateneo Law School. She has been accused of being soft in cases involving ranking government officials, especially those with ties to the administration. On Wednesday, Escudero urged Gutierrez to prove her worth as she only has until October 2009 in her post with the expiration of the term of Marcelo. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV