Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires has ordered the extension until Jan. 28 of the physical closure of the offices of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) in Quezon City and Davao City.
While physically-closed, all personnel are banned from entering the offices unless prior authorization is given.
The extension was ordered “due to the alarming number of COVID-infected personnel.” But Martires did not cite any figure.
In his memorandum, Martires said:
“For strict implementation of isolation and quarantine protocols order, and to arrest the transmission of infection among employees in the office, no OMB personnel will be allowed inside the office premises during the period that it is closed unless prior authorization has been secured from the Ombudsman, who in turn will inform Assistant Ombudsman (AO) Joselito P. Fangon for coordination with the guards.”
In Davao City, Martires cited the reports of Officer-in-Charge and Assistant Ombudsman Maria Iluminada S. Viva that “there is an “alarming steady increase in the number of Covid-19 infected employees at the OMB- Mindanao, Davao City.”
With the physical closure of the OMB offices, all personnel both in Quezon City and Davao City were instructed “to continue to work from home permissible under the civil service rules.”
Martires said the filing of pleadings, motions, affidavits, and other relevant documents before all offices of the OMB in Quezon City and Davao City “are deemed interrupted and the period of filing will begin to run on Jan. 31, 2022.”
Applicants for OMB clearances may still deposit their applications at drop boxes located at the OMB, Quezon City entrance gate, and if in Davao City, at drop boxes located at the back gate of the OMB-MIN building, he said.