MANILA—Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has filed a bill seeking to establish a dedicated law enforcement arm for the Office of the Ombudsman, allowing the anti-graft body to directly carry out arrests, detentions, searches and seizures in support of its investigations.

Lacson said he is prepared to expedite the passage of the measure, which he described as a way to strengthen the Ombudsman as it handles investigations involving alleged irregularities in flood control, reclamation and other infrastructure projects.

“The bill I filed gives the Ombudsman its own law enforcement arm focusing on graft and corruption cases under the mandate of the Ombudsman, to show my support for their work. With the law enforcement arm, it can apply for search warrants and serve arrest warrants to make its job easier,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on One News’ Storycon late Monday.

Lacson said the Ombudsman currently depends on other law enforcement agencies, including the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), when serving warrants and performing related functions.

“The Ombudsman needs its own law enforcement arm. It currently relies on help from the PNP and NBI,” he said.

The senator said he has coordinated with Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, where the measure has been referred, to prioritize its hearings and sponsorship on the Senate floor.

He said another option is to create a subcommittee and allow him to defend the measure during plenary proceedings to speed up its passage.

Lacson also reached out to Rep. Beatrix Luistro, who chairs the House committee handling the counterpart measure.

Lacson filed Senate Bill 2394 on Aug. 12, proposing the creation of the Ombudsman Marshall Service. The proposed service would conduct proactive inspections, inquiries and investigations aimed at gathering evidence and building cases.

“In order to strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman in the exercise of its power to investigate, it is essential to afford the Office of the Ombudsman the power to effect arrests, detention, searches and seizures in accordance with the performance of its mandate imposed by no less than the Constitution itself,” Lacson said in the bill.

He said the proposed service would make an “immense contribution” to strengthening the Ombudsman’s ability to carry out its constitutional mandate.

Under the measure, Section 15 of Republic Act 6770, or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, would be amended to create the Ombudsman Marshall Service.

The service would be headed by a Special Investigator who would receive the rank, salary, emoluments, benefits and retirement privileges of a Deputy Ombudsman.

Its peace officers, to be called Ombudsman Marshals, would be authorized to make arrests and effect detention, conduct searches and seizures, and undertake various investigations in accordance with the law.

The marshals would also be allowed to carry suitable firearms for their protection while performing their duties, as well as for the protection of witnesses and persons in custody, without needing a permit from other government agencies.

The proposed service could also be tasked with enforcing orders, writs and processes issued by the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan, or any anti-corruption court, agency or unit.

The bill further provides for adequate facilities for persons in custody, including individuals under investigation, whistleblowers and witnesses.

It also seeks to amend Section 11 of RA 6770 to authorize the Ombudsman Marshall Service to enforce decisions, resolutions, orders and writs issued by the Ombudsman, including citations for contempt.

Another proposed amendment to Section 6 would grant the Special Investigator the rank, salary, emoluments, benefits and retirement privileges of a Deputy Ombudsman.

Funding for the proposed service would come from the regular budget of the Office of the Ombudsman, with additional funding to be provided annually as may be appropriate.

Lacson previously identified the strengthening of the Ombudsman as one of the partial recommendations of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee following its hearings into alleged anomalous flood control projects.