Morales targets zero backlog in 2018

CHIEF graft buster Conchita Carpio-Morales is aiming at zero backlog at the Office of the Ombudsman before she steps down in 2018.

Speaking for a good governance lecture at the Ateneo De Manila University campus in Rockwell, Makati on Tuesday, Morales said her office receives an average of 390 complaints every month based on the figures of the first half of 2015.

Morales said as of Dec. 31, 2015, the Ombudsman has some 11,056 pending administrative and criminal cases.

“Notwithstanding its efforts, there are still a super number of corrupt officials in the government,” Morales said.

But because of its innovations, the Ombudsman was able to resolve 6,707 administrative and criminal cases in 2015, Morales said.

“The year-end docket decreased by 16 percent despite the increase of more than two percent in the number of new cases filed,” Morales said.
Morales said a zero backlog in 2018 can be achieved.

“All factors remaining constant and using the 20 percent net disposition of year-to-year case load, the Office is projecting to reach its zero-backlog target before my term ends in 2018,” Morales said.

To improve further its disposition of cases, Morales said the following pieces of legislation need to be passed to beef up the prosecutorial powers of the Ombudsman:

– Uphold the Ombudsman powers to access bank records

– Exempt the Ombudsman from regulated use of wiretapping

– Authorize the Ombudsman to enter public premises and seize public property for evidence gathering

–  Criminalize bribery of foreign public officials and officials of public international organizations

– Remove the one year ban before elections of going after illegally acquired properties

-Retain at least 30 percent of forfeited assets that were successfully recovered

-Allow filing of petitions for forfeiture even before a preliminary investigation or examination is conducted

-Single justice reception at the Sandiganbayan