Isinapubliko ni Ombudsman Samuel Martires nitong Lunes na isa sa kanyang plano na i-abolish o lusawin ang Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) at amyendahan ang bagong batas ng Sandiganbayan.
Ito ay nang tanungin ni House Justice Committee chairman, Negros Occidental 4th District Rep. Juliet Ferrer si Martires kung ano legislative agenda nito sa kanyang pagdalo sa pagdinig via Zoom.
“The Office of the Ombudsman would appreciate if Congress can amend or repeal the ARTA law, which is an unconstitutional law, as it usurps or encroaches upon the powers of the Ombudsman, pursuant to section 13(7), Article XI of the Constitution,” anito.
"I will be writing a letter to the Speaker of the House as well as the, your honor, the chair of the Committee on Justice as well as the Senate President on the abolition of theARTA,” pahayag nito.
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Paliwanag ni Martires, nakapaloob sa Section 13(7) ng Article XI ng Konstitusyon na kabilang sa tungkulin at responsibilidad ng Office of the Ombudsman na alamin ang sanhi ng "mahinang pamamalakad, red tape, panloloko at korapsyon sa pamahalaan at gawan ito ng rekomendasyon upang masugpo ang mga ito."
Matatandaangisinabatas ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang Anti-Red Tape Act noong Mayo 28, 2018 kasabay ng pagbibigay sa tungkulin nito na kahalintulad ng Ombudsman.
Ang ARTA ay pinangangasiwaan ng Office of the President hindi katulad ng anti-graft agency na independent body.
Iginiit ni Martires na ang kapangyarihan ng ARTA ay para lamang sa Office of the Ombudsman
“I must admit that the Office of the Ombudsman did not do anything with respect to this function of determining inefficiency and red tape in government. But it does not mean to say also that Congress can enact a law that encroaches on the constitutional powers of the Ombudsman,” dagdag pa nito.
