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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Morales slams suggestion to abolish Ombudsman's office

Morales slams suggestion to abolish Ombudsman's office

Published Sep 23, 2020 11:55 am

Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales lamented Ombudsman Samuel Martires’s suggestion that the Office of the Ombudsman be abolished.

Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

Martires aired the suggestion during the House Committee on Appropriations deliberation on the OMB budget as "wala namang nangyayari (nothing is happening)" in cases filed against corrupt officials.

Without the Ombudsman to keep government officials in check, Morales is worried that public officials will feel emboldened to commit crimes.

"To abolish the office will open floodgates to the commission of more corrupt activities. Allegedly, his policy is to dismiss complaints," she said.

During the hearing, Martires lamented the failure of witnesses to testify against corrupt officials, the reason why "wala kaming nahuhuli (we haven't caught anyone)."

"Siguro sabi ko nga umabolish na lang ang Office of the Ombudsman kasi wala namang mangyayari (This is why I say abolish the Office of the Ombudsman because nothing will happen)," he said.

However, Morales said that witnesses' testimonies are not the only thing that is needed to secure convictions. She explained: "Testimonial evidence is not the only evidence to build up a case. There are documentary (e.g. SALN, AMLC records), object, physical, circumstantial evidence. Subpoena duces tecum can be used to produce documents."

Morales and Martires have disagreed on several matters before.

This month, Martires ruled to limit the media and the public access to the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of public officials.

The media had access before to SALN of public officials such as the President, Vice President, senators, and congressmen by just writing a letter to the Ombudsman.

Now, the media, or anybody else, can only access the document when the public official who submitted his or her SALN has allowed it.

"No SALN will be furnished to the requester unless he or she presents a notarized letter of authority from the declarant allowing the release of the requested SALN," the Ombudsman said in Memorandum Circular No. 1.

But as far as Morales is concerned, the authority to release the SALNs belongs to the Ombudsman because these were "filed at the Office of the Ombudsman."

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