Ombudsman OKs graft raps vs ex-Comelec commissioner Guanzon
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8) — The Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Rowena Guanzon on graft charges for «prematurely disclosing confidential information» about the disqualification of then-presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In a resolution dated July 25, 2023, the Ombudsman ordered the filing of two counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, ruling in favor of the complaints filed by Citizen's Crime Watch chairman Ferdinand Topacio and president Diego Magpantay.
The charges cited Guanzon's appearances in two separate interviews where she discussed Marcos' disqualification from the May 2022 polls that were then pending before Comelec.
The Ombudsman said Guanzon, who was the presiding officer of Comelec's First Division handling the disqualification petitions against Marcos at the time, on Jan. 27, 2022, disclosed in an interview with GMA News that she had voted to disqualify Marcos from the elections.
On Jan. 28, 2022, the Ombudsman noted that Guanzon revealed to Rappler that Aimee Ferolino, her fellow Comelec commissioner at the time was the ponente in charge of writing the poll body's resolution, in violation of the law.
«Records disclose that by virtue of respondent's position, she acquired the valuable information relating to the disqualification cases of Marcos, Jr. and she prematurely divulged such confidential information prior to the official release of the Comelec's decision,» said the Ombudsman.
«Respondent's contention that the information disclosed by her is not considered confidential information fails to convince,» the Ombudsman added.
The Ombudsman further cited Comelec Resolution No. 10685 entitled «In the Matter of People's Freedom of Information Manual,» which states that «information, documents or records known by reason of official capacity and are deemed confidential» and that information from proceedings «are treated as confidential or privileged.»
«Let the corresponding informations against her be filed with the appropriate court,» it said.
The Ombudsman meanwhile disregarded the complainants' accusations that Guanzon
