

MANILA - Former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s appointment of Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Martires as the new Ombudsman, calling him a “very good person” with an “untarnished reputation.”

"I would like to thank the President for appointing a very good person in my former office. You know with experience, the judicial experience of Justice Martires, more than enough ang judicial experience niya and untarnished ang reputation. He will be an effective Ombudsman," she said.

"Sa aking mga dating kasama sa (to my former colleagues at the office of the) Ombudsman, the hardworking men and women of the Ombudsman, please support the newly appointed Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines."

Gutierrez also told critics to give Martires a chance.

"I think we should give him a chance. I'm sure he will be independent and fair," she said.

Martires is expected to take his oath of office next week after obtaining the go signal of the high court en banc for his early retirement.

The court is set to tackle this on Tuesday’s regular en banc session.

The magistrate was appointed to the high court in March 2017.

Gutierrez served as Ombudsman from 2005 to 2011 under then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.