Ombudsman v. Estandarte, GR No.

168670, April 13, 2007

A!"#$ On August 17, 1998, Peoples Graftwatch, through its Chairman, Dr. Patricio . !an, referre" to
the Office of the Om#u"sman $%isa&as', for imme"iate in(estigation, a complaint of the a%ult& !lub an"
'epartment (eads of the Ramon "orres National (i)* #%*ool against (eidi Estandarte, t*e s%*ool
prin%ipal.
!he complaint consiste" of )) allegations of improprieties ranging from illegal han"ling of school
fun"s, irregular financial transactions, per*ur&, an" a#use of authorit&.
+##,E$ +hether the office Om#u"sman has *uris"iction o(er pu#lic school officers.
(E-'$ NO. "*e .urisdi%tion o/ t*e ombudsman over dis%iplinar& %ases involvin) publi% s%*ool
tea%*ers *as been modi/ied b& se%tion 0 o/ RA 1670, otherwise ,nown as the magna carta for pu#lic
school teachers, 2*i%* sa& t*at su%* %ases must /irst )o to a %ommittee appointed b& t*e
#e%retar& o/ Edu%ation. $-ernas, page ./01./)'
Consi"ering that the respon"ent is a pu#lic school teacher who is co(ere" #& the pro(isions of
2ep. Act 3o. .475, the 6agna Carta for Pu#lic 7chool !eachers, the D8C712egion %9 is in a #etter
position to "eci"e the matter. 6oreo(er, the D8C7 has alrea"& commence" procee"ings o(er the
a"ministrati(e case #& constituting the 7pecial 9n(estigating Committee pursuant to 7ection 9 of 2ep. Act
3o. .475.