Ombudsman orders raps vs DOJ prosecutor caught extorting P2.5M from PAL union members

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Monday ordered the filing of criminal charges against a Department of Justice senior prosecutor accused of allegedly extorting P2.5 million from members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) last week.

 

In a resolution, Morales found probable cause to charge Assistant State Prosecutor III Diosdado Bernales Solidum Jr. for direct bribery and for violation of Section 7(d) in relation to Section 11 of Republic Act  6713 (Code  of  Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

 

According to the Ombudsman, Solidum demanded P10,000 each from the more than 200 PALEA members or equal to almost P2.5 million in exchange for the dropping of the pending charges against them.

 

A complaint for violation of Section 81(b)(5) of Republic Act 9497 the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008 had earlier been filed with the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office against 241 PALEA members.

 

Morales said the moeny being demanded later went down to P1.2 million payable in installment.

 

PALEA president and complainant Gerardo Rivera said Solidum had request a meeting last July 29 in Quezon City, in which the prosecutor said having the union members' case reversed would entail costs.

 

"Rivera replied that the matter was already in the judicial dispute  resolution where it will be  hopefully resolved in their favor. Rivera narrated that Solidum reminded that 'dalawang beses na kayo natalo' and assured him that he can reverse the decision at the earlier stated amount," the Ombudsman said in a statenment.

 

Solidum was arrested Thursday last week in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Quezon City.

 

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier condemned the extortion try and said she would not tolerate such action.

 

"I've said it before and will say it again that I don't mind undertaking such entrapment operations against our own people and suffering the consequent embarrassment for the institution, if only to send a clear and strong signal that corruption has no place in DOJ (Department of Justice),” De Lima said.

 

"I will not stop until the scalawags among the DOJ ranks, especially prosecutors, stop permanently their nefarious activities and/or they are all caught and punished. My inflexible mantra is - DOJ should be able to fulfill its mandate with zero corruption," she added.

 

The PALEA members were charged with grave coercion for allegedly disrupting the services of the airport when they mounted a protest against their retrenchment in 2011.

 

During the protest, union members blocked a truck from leaving the Philippine Airlines' in-flight services. — Mark Merueñas/RSJ, GMA News