Ombudsman employees brace for sad office anniversary

While several employees of the Office of the Ombudsman shed tears as their boss Merceditas Gutierrez announced her resignation, they knew that the sad news came at a least desired time – the office's anniversary. Gutierrez, who tendered her resignation personally to President Benigno Aquino III on Friday, will officially vacate her post on the afternoon of May 6 (a Friday), less than a week before her office celebrates its 23rd anniversary. "This is really so sad. And to think we would be celebrating our anniversary on May 12," an emotional Ma. Amelita Garcia, an associate graft investigation officer III, told GMA News Online after the press conference where Gutierrez announced her resignation. The graft investigator admitted that the departure of Gutierrez – who was impeached by the House of Representatives in March and was supposed to face Senate trial on May 9 – would deal a backlash on the performance of the employees of the Office of the Ombudsman. "Siguradong affected ang morale namin nito. We could really boast of her concern for her staff," Garcia said. She admitted that she and her fellow employees have failed to entirely focus their efforts and strength on their jobs because they were constantly being bothered by the non-stop barrage of criticisms against her. "For the past months, wala talaga kaming preparation [we really never prepared for this]," she added. In her speech after her resignation, Gutierrez – like Garcia – said she was well aware of the effect that an impeachment trial at the Senate would take on the performance of the Office of the Ombudsman. "The impeachment proceedings have consumed not only the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, but the Chief Executive of the land as well," Gutierrez said. "At a time when the present administration is in its infancy and beset with more urgent problems, the last thing that the nation needs is for the House and the Senate to be embroiled in a long drawn-out impeachment proceeding against a single public official," Gutierrez added. 'My boss' Not too far away from where Garcia was, Gloria Morales, an associate graft investigation officer II, was silently weeping while standing outside the door of the conference room where the press conference was held Friday. "I did not believe in any of the allegations against her. She's my leader and whoever is your boss, you should believe in her," Garcia said in Filipino, wiping tears from her eyes. Morales said the reason why Gutierrez initially was reluctant to give up her post was that she [Gutierrez] wanted to explain herself and prove her detractors wrong during the course of the Senate trial. Gutierrez on Friday called for the press conference at the Office of the Ombudsman along Agham Street in Quezon City, supposedly to break the "big news." As soon as she entered the conference room, buzzing employees fell silent as they watched their boss take her seat and prepare for her speech. But even before Gutierrez could utter a word from her prepared statement, some employees – obviously unable to hold back their emotions any longer – shouted: "We love you, ma'am!" Aware that Gutierrez would never take back her resignation no matter how hard Morales sobs, the emotional graft investigator said she would just be praying the Ombudsman's replacement will be as good as her boss. Before she left the conference room, Gutierrez stressed that her resignation was not a product of any pressure from her critics, but simply borne out of her love for her family, the Filipino people, especially her staff. "We are hoping that the one who will be appointed to replace her will be okay," Morales said. — LBG, GMA News