SUBIC BAY FREEPORT— The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority filed a complaint of impartiality and bias against Olongapo City Prosecutor Emilie Fe Delos Santos and asked the Department of Justice to transfer the complaint filed against an investor here before the city prosecutor’s office.
SBMA, through Deputy Administrator for Legal Affairs Randy Escolango, said they filed the request for transfer because Delos Santos has been critical of SBMA’s personnel especially of its Law Enforcement Department and even questioned the authority of SBMA to investigate cases against violations committed within the freeport zone.
Escolango claimed Delos Santos was biased, partial and unprofessional which further compelled SBMA to request such transfer of the cases.
The SBMA lawyer cited an incident last Feb. 26 during the ceremony of Philippine National Police Academy Adoption Rites where Escolango was invited as one of the inductees as honorary member of the PNPA “Tagapagbuklod” Class ’89. Delos Santos was there also as one of the honorary members.
The city prosecutor allegedly humiliated and dishonored the said SBMA official by questioning his presence in the ceremony and told her companions, “Randy is with the legal department of SBMA. In fact he has a case with me and subpoena him.”
Later in the same ceremony and in front of other guests, Delos Santos told Escolango, “Randy, aren’t you one of the complainants in the case under me. I will dismiss that, better settle with Cabrera,” referring to Isagani Cabrera, who had been the subject of a complaint by SBMA for perjury and falsification.
The SBMA legal officer said Delos Santos had shown bias, prejudice and partiality in favor of Cabrera, and her public remarks shows a lack of professionalism, impropriety and misconduct in the performance of her duties as public prosecutor aside from being a violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Moreover, Escolango cited two of many alleged evidence of bad faith, unfair and unprofessional work ethic of Delos Santos who, he claimed, reported for work only once a month and used only stamped signature on documents and resolutions resulting in the slow-paced administration of justice.
Secondly, she reversed the rulings of investigating prosecutors while providing no explanations for her decisions.
“SBMA cannot obtain impartial judgement for cases involving our officials at Subic Freeport before the office of the City Prosecutor Delos Santos, more so if SBMA is the complainant. We cannot expect fair and properly deliberated ruling,” Escolango said.