Merceditas N. Gutierrez

Infobox Officeholder
name = Merceditas Gutierrez

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office = Ombudsman of the Philippines
term_start = December 1, 2005
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order2 =
office2 = Secretary of Justice
term_start2 = December 24, 2003
term_end2 = August 31, 2004

order3 =
office3 = Secretary of Justice
term_start3 = November 27, 2002
term_end3 = January 15, 2003

birth_date =
birth_place = Philippines flagicon|Philippines
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nationality = Filipino
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occupation =
profession = Politician
religion = Roman Catholic


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Merceditas N. Gutierrez is a Filipino politician and currently the Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines. She heads the powerful Ombudsman Office which investigates all government officials who defies the law of conduct. She was a 2-time Justice Secretary of the Philippine Justice Department in 2002 and 2004, respectively. She assumed the Office of the Philippine Ombudsman in December 1, 2005 as the first female to head the post.

Early life

Gutierrez graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University Law School in 1972. In 1983, she then began engaging herself in government services. She became the Legal Officer of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC), then, Presidential Legal Officer of the Philippine Presidential Office. After her stints from those government offices, she was moved by the President to the National Economic and Development Authority of the Philippines.

Justice Secretary

When she had entered the Department of Justice, she then outstandingly rose ranks from State Counsel to, as senior as, the Undersecretary of the Justice Department.

In two separate instances, Gutierrez was appointed as Acting Secretary to fill-out the vacant seats of Secretary Hernani Perez in 2002 and Secretary Simeon Datumanong in 2004.

Ombudsman

In the 1st of December 2005, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Merceditas to the powerful post of Ombudsman, who is responsible for investigating government officials.

See also

* Philippine Ombudsman
* Department of Justice (Philippines)

References

Office of the Ombudsman Website