Makati, Quo Vadis?

I RECEIVED an e-mail from a Mr. Marcelo Tecson informing me that in 2010, the Supreme Court through a resolution penned by then Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona virtually expanded the powers of the Office of the Ombudsman in relation to implementation of the agency’s rulings on administrative cases against erring public officials despite pending appeals in the courts.

The resolution states that the decision of the Ombudsman is immediately executory pending appeal and may not be stayed by the filing of the appeal or the issuance of an injunctive writ. This was a modification of its earlier decision in September 2008 in the case of the Ombudsman vs. Joel Samaniego where it said only orders, directives or decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman in administrative cases imposing the penalty of public censure, reprimand or suspension of not more than one month or a fine not equivalent to one month salary shall be final and unappealable, hence immediately executory.