MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has acquitted two former officials of the Office of the Ombudsman, both high-ranking, of 56 charges that they removed, concealed or destroyed documents in their official care and 13 counts of falsification of public documents.
The antigraft court’s Special Third Division, in a 52-page ruling on Aug. 26, said that even after eight years, the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of former Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Mark Jalandoni and former Assistant Ombudsman Nennette De Padua.
Their hold departure orders were lifted and set aside, and their cash bonds released.
The court said Jalandoni only followed the orders of then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez who had the power to delegate her authority. —DEMPSEY REYES