By Nitz Arancon, Correspondent IF YOU have observed a surge of graft and corruption cases against politicians lately, it is because the Office of the Ombudsman is onboard President Rodrigo Duterte’s “all out” campaign against corrupt public officials. In an interview, Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman said once they uncover evidence of malfeasance against a public official, they will work doubly hard to see to it that the public official gets dismissed from government service. “Trabaho lang. Kay we assured our people that we will really act on it, without fear or favor. Basta naa kay ebidensiya or base nga ma-dismiss siya sa serbisyo, himoon nato na,” Elman said. The ombudsman also assured that any citizen can file a formal complaint against a government official or employee and will be treated with utmost confidentiality. “Dili kay ang reklamo ra against sa atong mga government officials and employee ang atong hatagan sa action apil na karon ang si bisan kinsa mahimong moeport ug mo-file sa reklamo sa atong opisina,” he said. Elman was in town recently to grace the launching of the Gender Information Desk at their northern Mindanao regional office here at Barangay Kauswagan, this city. When asked about their decision against public officials being reversed by the Court of Appeals, Elman said there are always “exception to the rules.” Elman refused to name cases against public officials which the CA reversed. It can be recalled that the Ombudsman’s decision for the dismissal of City Mayor Oscar Moreno was reversed by the CA. The complaint was filed by former Taglimao chairman William Guialani on the tax settlement issue between the city government and Ajinomoto Corporation. The ombudsman, however, assured that reversal of their rulings by the CA have been few and far between. “Ang mga Justices sab karon naga think twice sila before issuing temporary restraining orders kay basin madudahan sila ba,” Elman said.