Nina ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS at JEFFREY G. DAMICOG, May ulat ni Vanne Elaine P. Terrazola
Iginiit ng Malacañang na dapat na bukas ang Office of the Ombudsman sa anumang imbestigasyon upang pabulaanan ang mga alegasyon ng kurapsiyon laban sa mga opisyal at kawani nito.
Ito ay makaraang magbanta si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na ipaaaresto ang mga opisyal ng Ombudsman na tatangging makipagtulungan sa panukala niyang anti-corruption inquiry.
“We recognize that the Office of the Ombudsman has the constitutional duty to probe erring government officials. As the protector of the people, the OMB is expected to act promptly on complaints filed against officers or employees of the government,” saad sa pahayag kahapon ni Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.
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“The sad reality, however, is that the OMB is not exempt from allegations of corruption, which the President said, need to be investigated,” dagdag niya. “The OMB should be open to any probe that would check into alleged corrupt practices amongst its officials and employees to underscore that there are no sacred cows in the Government.”
IPAAARESTO
Sa isang panayam sa PTV-4 nitong Biyernes, sinabi ni Duterte na magtatatag siya ng sariling komisyon upang imbestigahan ang mga alegasyon ng kurapsiyon laban sa Office of the Ombudsman.
“I can create my own commission… and summon you,” sabi ng Pangulo. “Now ‘pag ayaw mo sumipot in obedience to that summon, I will move for your arrest—contempt of court. I will order the military or the police to arrest you.”
Ito ay kasunod ng kumpirmasyon ng Office of the Ombudsman na sinimulan na nito ang imbesigasyon sa sinasabing tagong yaman ng Pangulo.
OMBUDSMAN, PALABAN
Kaagad namang nanindigan ang Office of the Ombudsman na hindi ito pasisindak sa mga banta ng Pangulo. “Sorry, Mr. President but this office shall not be intimidated,” saad sa pahayag ni Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.
Naniniwala naman ang Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) na hindi dapat na pinagbabantaan ang Office of the Ombudsman sa pamamagitan ng pagtatatag ng komisyong mag-iimbestiga rito.
“The creation of another body either by executive issuance of by an act of Congress that effectively defeats the independence and flexibility needed by the Ombudsman in the discharge of her duties is, at best, Constitutionally suspect,” sabi ni IBP President, Atty. Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo.
“It is judicially established that the Office of the Ombudsman does not owe its existence to any act of Congress. It was created by the Constitution itself. It enjoys fiscal autonomy,” paliwanag ni Fajardo.
‘WAG BALAT-SIBUYAS
“As an independent body it must be insulated from political pressure—most especially from the highest political office in the land. To allow such pressure would result in the prostitution or impairment of its core functions,” dagdag pa ni Fajardo, at pinayuhan si Duterte na huwag masyadong maging kritikal sa Ombudsman.
“Public officials must not be onion-skinned,” giit ni Fajardo. “Public office is a public trust. Upon assumption of public office, a government official holds his life open to public scrutiny.”
‘DI LABAG SA BATAS
Kasabay nito, sinabi naman kahapon ni Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III na hindi labag sa batas ang pagtatatag ng komisyon na mag-iimbestiga laban sa umano’y hindi pagiging patas ng Ombudsman.
“Puwedeng bumuo ng commission tapos ipasa sa Congress kung may impeachment complaints...Sino ba naman ang tatakbuhan ng taumbayan kung maraming reklamo sa Ombudsman,” sinabi ni Pimentel sa isang panayam sa radyo.
