‘Biased’ candidate for ombudsman?

This is a reaction to the news item “Mike Arroyo nixes bet for Ombudsman.” (Inquirer, 6/13/11)

Having known lawyer Ernesto Francisco for years as our legal counsel since the 1990s on various issues in health services and health workers’ concerns, we can say that Francisco is indeed biased—for the poor people and health workers.

Francisco helped us in our legal battles against revenue enhancement (charging of fees) in public hospitals, the privatization of government hospitals and streamlining of health workers in the Department of Health. He provided pro bono legal assistance to health workers’ unions and leaders who were being harassed by hospital management and government authorities.

When Francisco filed cases against the toll hikes on expressways, ordinary drivers and commuters were very grateful. The corruption cases he filed against government officials during the Estrada and Arroyo administrations were not for himself but for the benefit of ordinary Filipinos whose voices cannot be heard in the legal and judicial arena. We believe he was exercising his right and doing his responsibility as a Filipino citizen when he filed cases against questionable transactions of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Whoever gets appointed to the position of ombudsman should uphold, first and foremost, the interest of the Filipino people not only in words but most importantly in deeds. Corrupt government officials should fear not the ombudsman but the awakened Filipino people fighting for justice.

—EMMA S. MANUEL,

president emeritus,

Alliance of Health Workers Inc.,

64 Quezon cor. BMA Avenues,

Quezon City;

email: [email protected]