CARAGA REGION

May 29, 2020

HON. MARCO ANACLETO P. BUENA

Director IV
Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication, and Prosecution Bureau-B
Office of the Ombudsman
Matina, Davao City

Dear Hon. Buena:

Good day!

This pertains to the submission of this office’s counter-affidavits on the

following cases, to wit:

1. Docket No. OMB-M-A-20-0033. Maria Gertrudes Serrano

Dedumo et.al. vs. DSWD et.al. for Abuse of Authority;
Neglect of Duty; Violation of Section 5 (a) of R.A. 6713,
and;

2. Docket No. OMB-M-C-20-0018, Maria Gertrudes Serrano

Dedumo et.al. vs. DSWD et.al. for Malversation of Public
Funds (Art. 217 of the Revised Penal Code); Violation of
Sec. 3 (a) and (e) of R.A. 3019; Violation of R.A. 8048. As
per our Motion for Extension of Time to Submit Counter-
Affidavit, we are supposed to submit the same not later
than March 16, 2020.

Prior to the afore-stated deadline and in response to the President’s

declaration of a state of health emergency, however, the Department
(national and regional offices) was directed to focus all its efforts in
providing essential services to aid in the fast-growing pandemic, holding
all other matters not related thereto in abeyance.

Amidst the growing panic and chaos brought about by the COVID-19
fiasco, this office exhausted all means and endeavored to deliver the
necessary services to our countrymen as required by its mandate.

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DSWD Field Office Caraga, R. Palma Street, Butuan City, Philippines 8600
e-mail: focrg@dswd.gov.ph Tel. Nos. : (085) 342-5619 to 20 Telefax : (085) 815-9173
Website: http://www.caraga.dswd.gov.ph
The pandemic notwithstanding, this office still prioritized important
obligations including, but not limited to, the submission of counter-
affidavits on the prior stated cases. And in as much as this office would
want to beat the deadline for the submission, the final documents were
only completed and signed last 17 March 2020 which is a day after the
deadline. Incidentally, JRS, which is the official courier of this office,
already stopped its operations on the same day in response to the ECQ
limitations.

Based on the foregoing, we would like to implore the Honorable Office of

the Ombudsman to consider the acceptance of the Counter-Affidavits of
the previously stated cases.

Thank you!

Very truly yours,

RAMEL F. JAMEN
Officer-In-Charge

DSWD Field Office Caraga, R. Palma Street, Butuan City, Philippines 8600
e-mail: focrg@dswd.gov.ph Tel. Nos. : (085) 342-5619 to 20 Telefax : (085) 815-9173
Website: http://www.caraga.dswd.gov.ph