Blue Ribbon to reco Ombudsman be allowed to deputize private lawyers as prosecutors — Lacson

Among the partial recommendations of the Senate blue ribbon committee amid its flood control probe would be to allow the Office of the Ombudsman to deputize private lawyers to help in prosecuting cases, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said Thursday. 

Lacson, chairperson of the committee, said they will propose legislation to strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman and its fight against corruption. 

“The Office of the Ombudsman is very undermanned. If we allow it to deputize private lawyers to act as prosecutors by way of legislation, that would be a good measure," the senator said. 

He also said that the committee will recommend for the Office of the Ombudsman to have its own law enforcement arm. 

“Even if it is small, it should be dedicated, to allow it to apply for search warrants and conduct follow-up investigations of corruption-related cases,” he added. 

To recall, the Office of the Ombudsman has filed a series of malversation and graft charges against certain personalities implicated in the flood control mess, including former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, former Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez, among others. 

Lacson previously said that the schedule for the next flood control hearing has yet to be set, but noted that two to three more hearings may still be conducted.

Regardless, he said the blue ribbon committee is almost finished working on its partial committee report.

“The committee report's contents are based on evidence," he said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News