MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said the government would file impeachment cases against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales for possession of “illegally obtained” documents and selective justice.
"We will file an impeachment case against her and I would tend to believe she was part of the conspiracy ... iyong fabricated papers," Duterte said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
The Office of the Ombudsman has started a fact-finding investigation into the wealth of the President and his family based on a complaint filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accusing Duterte of having PHP2.2 billion in “hidden wealth.”
Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang, who was in charge of the case after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales inhibited herself from cases involving the Duterte family, earlier said that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) provided the Ombudsman office on Duterte's alleged multi-billion peso wealth.
Morales is the aunt of lawyer Manases Carpio, the husband of presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
The AMLC, however, categorically denied that it provided the Office of the Ombudsman with a report on the bank records of President Duterte and his family.
“Remember na walang AMLC clearance. So walang statement dapat lumabas kay sa may billion ako o piso lang galing diyan sa Central Bank. I said to her chagrin, she will realize that hindi siya dapat pumasok diyan lalo na if the evidence is illegal,” Duterte said.
Duterte said it was Trillanes who obtained the spurious bank accounts from a certain “Abad” who he said is the senator’s mistress.
“At ang lumabas doon nagpindot, pagbukas ng account ko, si Abad, who is the mistress of Trillanes, then gave it to Trillanes. Trillanes computed it on a daily basis. In- out, in-out, in-out. ‘Yung credit, ‘yung debit wala na kaya ganun lumaki,” Duterte said.
The President said Trillanes then gave the records to Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman, who in turn gave it to Morales.
Duterte said Morales is just part of the concerted effort of the Left and the so-called “Dilaw” to remove him in Malacañang.
"But, I will show to the Republic that we have a very serious problem with our government officials. You have an official na Ombudsman na part of, ‘yung fabrication and the use of falsified documents,” he said.
The President said he would present his real bank records at the impeachment trial against Morales to prove her Office held falsified documents.
"You have to prove it is fabrication," Duterte said.
Duterte also accused Morales for exercising “selective justice,” citing Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan as her latest victim.
“She berates people for a delay of justice and yet, the Ombudsman is the number one who's doing the selective justice. And the latest victim was Gringo Honasan,” he said.
The Ombudsman has filed graft charges against Honasan over the alleged irregular procurement of projects worth PHP30 million released under his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
“I did not start this ruckus. Ang problema, nagpadamay sila kay Trillanes. It’s Trillanes who will bring this government or this country down to the dogs,” he said.
The President said that what is happening now all started with Trillanes during the campaign period when the senator accused Duterte of having millions of pesos of unexplained wealth.
Then Mayor Duterte said that if he has that amount, he would withdraw his candidacy for the Presidency.
He said he dismissed the accusations then as mere black propaganda that is normal during an election period.
“Hanggang ngayon. Eh ‘di gidamay niya si Ombudsman. Ang Ombudsman nagpagamit. Ayan, patay na. Magkakaso-kaso sila ngayon,” Duterte said. (PNA)
