THE Ombudsman has scolded a former woman judge for trying to put down the image of the Philippines in its fight against corruption.
Retired Judge Dolores Español should have been aware that the fight for justice, equity and freedom from graft was an uphill battle, and should have checked her facts before portraying the Philippines as a corrupt country, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said.
She said Español herself had experienced how it was to be investigated and adjudged guilty of gross ignorance of the law, inefficiency and neglect of duty and fined twice by the Supreme Court.
“So before one points a finger at another, she should remember that three of her own fingers are pointed at her also,” Gutierrez said in a statement.
She made the statement in the wake of reports that Español, head of Transparency International-Philippines, failed to consider the Ombudsman’s recent decisions in controversial cases, and that led Transparency International to rank the Philippines 139th among 180 countries perceived to be the most corrupt in its 2009 report.
The Philippines’ ranking should in fact have improved, Gutierrez said. –Macon Ramos Araneta, Manila Standard Today
June 2025
Philippine Environment Month!
“Action for Nature, for the Future!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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Monthly Observances:
1 Jun – World Day of Parents
5 Jun – World Environment Day
7 Jun – World Food Safety Day
8 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against
Child Labour
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
