Marcos names Dante Vargas as acting Ombudsman

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. has appointed Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Dante Vargas as acting Ombudsman.

This was confirmed by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Wednesday.

Previously, the Palace had designated Special Prosecutor and former Court of Appeals presiding justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo as acting Ombudsman following the retirement of Ombudsman Samuel Martires on July 27.

Earlier, Malacañang said Martires' successor should be brave and fair in his job. 

The Office of the Ombudsman handles complaints filed against high-ranking government officials and those occupying supervisory positions, complaints involving grave offenses, as well as complaints involving large sums of money and/or properties. 

There are 17 candidates for the position of Ombudsman.

• Philippine Competition Commission Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo
• Interior Undersecretary Romeo Benitez
• Lawyer Jonie Caroche-Vestido
• CA Associate Justice Bautista Corpin Jr.
• Former CA Associate Justice Stephen Cruz
• Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg
• Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres
• Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan
• Former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares 
• Office of the President Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Anna Logan
• Retired SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez 
• Former PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag
• Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi 
• Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
• Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairperson Felix Reyes
• Daraga, Albay Municipal Trial Court Presiding Judge Jason Rodenas
• Former Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Turgano

Applicants will be interviewed in public by the Judicial and Bar Council, the screening body, from August 28 to September 2. —VBL, GMA Integrated News