At A Glance
- Vargas was first appointed as Deputy Ombudsman by then-president Rodrigo Duterte in March 2022.
President Marcos has appointed Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Dante Vargas as Acting Ombudsman, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
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Vargas, who was first appointed as Deputy Ombudsman by then-president Rodrigo Duterte in March 2022, served as Graft Investigation Officer II at the Office of the Ombudsman from 1988 to 1993, and later as Legal Officer IV at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
He completed his Psychology degree at Silliman University in 1978 and earned his Law degree at Ateneo de Davao University in 1986.
The appointment came as the Judicial and Bar Council prepared to hold public interviews for candidates vying for the Ombudsman post. The Supreme Court set the schedule of interviews from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2. Recordings of the proceedings will be uploaded after the sessions.
The selection process follows the retirement of Ombudsman Samuel Martires on July 27, after completing his fixed seven-year term. Martires previously served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a justice of the Sandiganbayan, and a regional trial court judge before leading the anti-graft office.