‘Midnight appointees’: Ombudsman asks over 200 new hires to reapply

Metro Manila, Philippines - About 204 fresh hires of the Office of the Ombudsman — suspected to be midnight appointees — will be asked to hand in their courtesy resignations and reapply, new Ombudsman Boying Remulla said.

In a press briefing on Monday, Oct. 20, Remulla said these employees were hired in July — the same month that his successor, Samuel Martires, retired.

Remulla said the 204 employees cover different positions.

The ombudsman said submitting courtesy resignations and reapplying for their previous positions will show good faith on the part of the employees.

“You don’t want to be arriving in a place tapos lahat ng empty seats na ine-expect para sa mga kasama mo, na-fill up na bigla,” he said, noting that new hires should undergo a six-month probationary period.

[Translation: You don’t want to arrive in a place where the empty seats for your colleagues were suddenly filled up.]

Remulla added that his office has tapped the Civil Service Commission to help them evaluate the issue of midnight appointees.

The former Justice secretary took helm of the Ombudsman’s office early this month and will assume post until 2032.