Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27) — Ombudsman Samuel Martires said on Wednesday his office can do without confidential funds in the investigation and prosecution of cases.
“I’d like to be the first from the investigating agencies to request Congress that if it will only taint the integrity of the office, I’d rather not have confidential funds during my term of office,” Martires said during a Senate finance sub-committee hearing on the Ombudsman’s 2024 budget.
The Ombudsman, a constitutional commission, is responsible for investigating and prosecuting government officials accused of crimes, especially graft and corruption.
Martires made the statement after Senator Koko Pimentel pointed out that some agencies have not requested for confidential funds, namely, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers.
“Maybe the Ombudsman can be the third agency but with those compromises, the use of savings ibigay po namin iyon [We’ll give those] for the flexibility of the office,” Pimentel said
He said accepting the fund will not taint the Office of the Ombudsman, however, rejecting it will encourage other agencies to follow suit if the item is not needed.
Senator Sonny Angara asked if the Ombudsman’s functions would be affected without confidential funds.
Martires said he has other ways of gathering information.
“I can always smile at my friends and treat them over a cup of coffee. They can do that for us,” Martires said.
“Baka iyong intel na ibibigay sa inyo justice pang-kape lang iyong intel na ibibigay, I’m just playing devil’s advocate,” Angara said.
[Translation: But maybe the intel that they will give the justice will also be like an amount of a cup of coffee.]
The Office of the Ombudsman is proposing a budget of around P5 billion for next year. The sub-committee endorsed it to the plenary.
