MANILA - The Office of the Special Prosecutor is challenging KABAYAN party-list Rep. Harry Roque to name prosecutors whom he alleged are taking bribes.

This, after Roque made a statement on DZMM Tuesday, alleging that a number of high-profile cases have been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan because some state lawyers are either incompetent or paid off.

OSP Chief Wendell Barreras-Sulit challenged the party-list lawmaker to name people who received bribes to lose cases.

"I challenge him to come out and name names so we can also clear those people...who are working hard," she said.

She said that as a prosecution witness to the NBN-ZTE deal case against former president and Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Arroyo, Roque should be aware of the state lawyers' efforts and sacrifices in pursuing a case.

"The men and women of the OSP from the highest to lowest employees have all worked very hard in the prosecution of cases assigned to them. We have maintained highest degree of competency in preparation of our cases of trial," the chief prosecutor said.

"We cannot control the case: we always depend on the appreciation of the court. They are not incompetent."

The OSP also pointed out, their office did fairly well last year, with only 57 acquittals compared to 124 convictions secured in 2016. By year end, they have a conviction rate of 68.51%.

"If we compare this conviction rating to the other prosecution service, perhaps Congressman Roque will give us a congratulatory greeting," Barreras-Sulit said.

She added that state lawyers will appeal for the reversal of the rulings up to the Supreme Court. "Meron pa kaming pag-asang manalo," she said.

LAGAYAN SA OMBUDSMAN

In his DZMM interview last Tuesday, Roque said he believes the Ombudsman's Office of the Prosecutor may have deliberately deferred its investigation of some graft cases so that respondents could cite their right to due process and have the charges thrown out.

"Dapat panagutin na itong Office of the Prosecutor ng Ombudsman dahil nga sunod-sunod na ang pagkatalo ng ating gobyerno... Tatapatin ko kayo, tingin ko, ang duda ko may lagayan diyan sa prosecution para walang ma-convict," he told radio DZMM.

(The Ombudsman's Office of the Prosecutor must be held accountable over the consecutive losses of the government. I'll be honest, I think that bribery occurred in the prosecution so that no one will be convicted.)

On Wednesday, he reiterated: "Baka nakikipagusap para matalo ang kaso. Ang Ombudsman naman hindi magsasampa ng walang ebidensya. Either talagang palpak sila, o tumatanggap sila."

He said the Sandiganbayan should also be held accountable as it failed to prevent the unreasonable delay of cases.

Citing a study he made in 2015, the lawmaker slammed the anti-graft court for its low conviction rate of 11 percent, which mostly includes low-ranking officials.

"Para ba silang itinayo para mag-abswelto nang mag-absuwelto ng mandarambong ng kaban ng taumbayan," he remarked.

(It seems that they exist only to absolve plunderers of public coffers again and again.)

President Duterte, he said, must convene a summit calling for an overhaul of the criminal justice system.

Asked about the challenge to name those who received bribes, he said the dismissal and acquittal of the accused in the high-profile cases matters more.

"Kung nais natin magparating ng mensahe, kinakailangan, bigyan ng prayoridad yung mga tinatawag nating big fish. Nang matakot, maibalik ang takot sa puso ng mga magbanakaw sa gobyerno."

Among the controversial cases dismissed last year were:

•plunder case against Mrs. Arroyo in connection to the allegedly anomalous diversion of intel funds to PCSO;

• Supreme Court frees Gloria Arroyo

•graft case against Mrs. Arroyo, former first gentleman Mike Arroyo, former COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos and former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri;

• Sandiganbayan dismisses NBN-ZTE graft case vs Arroyos

•plunder case against former undersecretary Jocelyn "Jocjoc" Bolante, and graft cases against former senator Lito Lapid and former congressman Abraham Mitranin connection to the fertilizer fund scam;

• Joc-Joc Bolante cleared of plunder in fertilizer fund scam

•graft, malversation and violation of bank regulation charges against Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian over the LWUA's alleged illegal purchase of their family's thrift-bank;

• Sandigan drops graft, malversation case vs Gatchalian, Pichay

•graft and reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple physical injury cases against Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian;

•graft cases against former Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay over the allegedly anomalous purchase of supplies for Ospital ng Makati and Makati City Hall; and

• Elenita Binay, abswelto sa kasong graft sa Sandiganbayan

•graft case against Sen. JV Ejercito over the alleged illegal diversion of calamity funds to purchase high-powered firearms. With a report by DZMM

• Sandiganbayan division clears JV Ejercito of graft charges