PAL employee counsel nominated for Ombudsman post

MANILA, Philippines—Former government officials nominated the counsel of Philippine Airlines employees to replace Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez whose resignation became effective last May 6.

In two separate nomination letters, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Christian Monsod and former Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary Hector Soliman both said that Marlon Manuel, coordinator of the Alternative Law Groups (ALG), was the best person for the job.

“At this critical time when the Office of the Ombudsman needs rebuilding and revitalization, it needs someone at the helm who not only can do an excellent job but can also attract and inspire many young, competent and honest lawyers and experts from other disciplines into the Office to ensure that the work will be continued capably after him,” Monsod said.

“He understands what it takes to build a case with the best evidence, present it for a successful prosecution and get favorable judgment,” Soliman said. “He is quite conversant on what the prosecutorial role of the Ombudsman takes.”

Manuel is also the lead counsel in the Philippine Airlines Employees Association’s (PALEA) complaint against contractualization and the case filed by a group of farmers of Hacienda Luisita, Inc. for the revocation of the Stock Distribution Plan and the compulsory acquisition of the hacienda to benefit farmers under the agrarian reform law.

Today is the last day of nomination for the top Ombudsman post.

Gutierrez resigned to prevent the impeachment proceedings against her from pushing through. She said the both Houses of Representatives and the Senate should focus on more pressing issues of the country rather than removing her from office.

She has been accused of sitting on cases involving officials from the Arroyo administration.