JBC recommends 4 nominees to deputy Ombudsman post

The Judicial and Bar Council will recommend to President Benigno Aquino III four candidates among the 16 aspirants vying to be the next deputy Ombudsman for Luzon. The four who topped the JBC's voting last Tuesday were Roque Dator (eight votes), Gerard Mosquerra (eight votes), Francis Jardeleza (seven votes) and Vicente Gengos (five votes). The eight-member JBC is the body that recommends to the President nominees to vacant judicial posts and nominees to the positions of Ombudsman and deputy Ombudsman. Last April, then deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Mark Jalandoni relinquished his post after at least three complaints seeking his dismissal were filed with the Office of the President. The embattled official was accused of usurpation of official functions and authority. "The offense committed amounts to grave misconduct and constitutes culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption and betrayal of public trust," complainant Antonio Baltazar said in his affidavit. The complainant sought the dismissal of Jalandoni for allegedly abrogating and taking upon himself the function of De Jesus. He said it was De Jesus who was supposed to review and recommend the approval of a resolution on the complaint he filed before the Office of the Ombudsman. In the said resolution, Jalandoni approved the recommendation to dismiss Baltazar's complaint against Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Rodolfo Albano Jr. and Manila Electric Co. president Jesus Francisco for graft and corruption due to a lack of probable cause. Jalandoni resigned almost a month before his boss, Merceditas Gutierrez, also relinquished her position as Ombudsman. Gutierrez was supposed to face an impeachment trial at the Senate for "betrayal of public trust" by allegedly sitting on corruption cases involving then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her family, and their allies. Gutierrez has repeatedly denied protecting Mrs. Arroyo, whose husband, Jose Miguel, was her batch mate at the Ateneo School of Law. On Wednesday, the JBC is set to begin the public interviews for the 27 aspirants seeking to replace Gutierrez. — RSJ, GMA News