CSC forwards papers to Ombudsman: Lifestyle check on for 10 Baguio execs

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY — The Office of the Ombudsman is conducting a lifestyle check on at least
10 appointed and elected officials of the city government in connection with the national government’s drive against graft and corruption.

This was reported by Adela Esteban, director of the Baguio City field office of the Civil Service Commission, who said that her office has already complied with the subpoena issued by the
Ombudsman for them to submit the personal data sheets, statement of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALN) and other documents needed in the lifestyle probe of the 10 officials.

But she did not disclose the identities of the city officials undergoing lifestyle check, saying that the confidentiality of the names must be preserved until the Ombudsman issues its findings.

She said the role of the CSC in the conduct of lifestyle check is to assist the Ombudsman in securing important documents on file in their office in connection with the lifestyle investigation of the officials.

Esteban said some of the city officials undergoing lifestyle check have reached at least 35 years of service, while the others are new.

The CSC has already forwarded the 10 sets of documents to the Ombudsman for Northern Luzon.

Lawyer Lorenzo Danipog, Cordillera CSC director, said the lifestyle check is conducted on national and local government officials who fail to justify their possession of properties or those who could not explain how they have acquired their wealth while in government service.

The lifestyle check is a regular function of the Office of the Ombudsman, the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission and the Department of Finance. It is part of the national government’s all-out campaign to rid the public service system of abusive and corrupt officials.

Generally, lifestyle check on officials prospers upon the filing of a formal complaint, but anonymous complaints would also be entertained if there are proper documents that could warrant the conduct of the investigation.

Danipog said the lifestyle check on national and local officials has significantly improved the delivery of services to the people although it has not yet totally stopped graft and corruption in the bureaucracy.

Nevertheless, he said, CSC is still doing its best to check the lapses of government officials and employees in the delivery of basic services to the people.