Martires vows to address ‘inordinate delay’ of cases

Martires also said the period for preliminary investigation will be shortened to only three months “unless the investigator would ask for an extension of time” for justifiable reasons. (PNA photo)

MANILA — Newly-appointed Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Monday vowed to address the slow disposition of cases filed before the anti-graft body.

During the budget deliberations of the House appropriations committee on the Office of the Ombudsman’s proposed PHP2.89-billion budget for 2019, Martires said his first order as the country’s new anti-graft buster would be to “dismiss all cases that are more than one year old that are undergoing fact-finding (investigation) without prejudice to the refiling of these cases and subject to prescription.

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Several Ombudsman cases had been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan due to inordinate delay.

Martires also said the period for preliminary investigation will be shortened to only three months “unless the investigator would ask for an extension of time” for justifiable reasons.

Preliminary investigation may not go beyond one year, he noted.

Martires also vowed fairness, stressing that he “won’t be swayed by higher-ups.”

“Ever since I was a trial court judge until I reached the Supreme Court, I’ve been fair with the accused and complainants,” he said.

“I assure you that I will not be swayed by any pressures from the higher ups,” he added.