An honorable exit, Virginia

Asst. Visayas Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago yesterday reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 with flying colors.

It is strange, however, that her immediate boss Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol thinks otherwise.

Santiago left big shoes to fill.  Her reputation as the “Iron Lady” of the anti-graft office, where she served for 16 years, had nothing to do with arrogance or a stubborn sense of command.

It had everything to do with acting with integrity and resisting the temptation of doing mediocre work or succumbing to partisan politics.

We watched this widow grow silver streaks in her hair, and laugh lines on her face as she waded through graft complaints without surrendering to the vanity of power, like other officials who view Santiago as a threat.

You couldn’t buy this woman or scare her off her course.

Neither could you find her seeking a padrino to support her application for the position of Deputy Ombudsman, which she didn’t get.

So the title stuck.

While there were stacks of cases the public may never fully appreciate, Santiago will be remembered for steering the investigation of major cases in Cebu and upholding the honor of the Ombudsman’s Office.

Two of them ripened into cases before the Sandiganbayan – the malversation of funds of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and the overpriced purchase of decorative lampposts that lined streets for the 2007 Asean Summit.

Two other cases are still pending resolution by the Ombudsman in Manila – the rushed construction of the Cebu International Convention Center for the same international summit and the P98.9 million amazing Balili land deal in 2009.

Parties in the lamppost case, including former mayors of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu are on trial before the Sandiganbayan. The other two cases – the CICC and the Capitol’s purchase of land found mostly underwater or classified as timberland in Naga City – were wrapped up and sent to Manila for final action.

What Santiago’s team of investigators found out in the CICC case has not been disclosed due to inter-office rules of confidentiatliy. But the results should come out, to exonerate or hold accountable the Capitol officials and private parties who were also held liable for entering into a “grossly disadvantageous contract” in the Balili land deal.

Santiago did her part, and kept the faith of a public grown weary of seeing impunity in government abuse.

Her courage, she says, came from simple habits like going to Mass daily before facing the rigors of work, and keeping a clear conscience.

It’s too bad Deputy Ombudsman Apostol chose to stay away from the despedida of his assistant. A grudge over differences in management style shouldn’t carry over to the last day of work of an exemplary public servant.

Santiago leaves the Ombudsman’s Office with a clean name and a vacancy that should be filled.  Her post should not be abolished. The job should go to another person as committed and trustworthy as herself and her highest champion, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

We wish Santiago all the best in her retirement days, though she should keep her mind open to other roles of public service.

Thank you, Ma’m Virgie, for a job well done.