A total of 204 new hires, suspected of being ‘midnight appointees’ in the Office of the Ombudsman, will be asked to reapply before the anti-graft body, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said.
Remulla said this in a press briefing on Monday, adding that he also ordered the review to the office’s admission and hiring process.
A midnight appointment refers to an appointment to a political office that was made in the eleventh hour of the term of office of the person vested with the power to issue such an appointment
‘Unfortunately last July there were 204 new hires in the Office sa Ombudsman and I will ask this 204 people to reapply because they are still under their six month probationary period. I will ask them to reapply lest they become or be treated as midnight appointees,’ he disclosed.
‘That’s in good faith. I hope they’re all in good faith also they can reapply and some of them to probably hand in courtesy resignations just to show good faith. You don’t want to be arriving in a place, then all the empty seats you expected, for your companions, were suddenly filled up,’ Remulla added.
The former Justice secretary likewise revealed thay are now ‘getting the rundown’ and they are now asking the Civil Service Commision (CSC) to assist his office in evaluating this cases.
‘Because the CSC has been very forthcoming. They have communicated to us their willingness to help with this issue of midnight appointees,’ he said.