Ombudsman Carpio-Morales – ellen tordesillas

GMA cases were most challenging: Ombudsman Carpio-Morales

Published by Ellen on July 27, 2018

Just retired Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales

By Ellen T. Tordesillas, VERA Files

In the seven years that Conchita Carpio-Morales was Ombudsman – investigating and prosecuting corruption cases against government officials – the ones that gave her the biggest headaches were those involving former president Gloria Arroyo, who was elected speaker of the House of Representatives last Monday.

In an interview by VERA Files days before she retired on July 26, Carpio-Morales described the cases involving Arroyo as “very, very complicated.”

Among those cases are the misuse of the intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office amounting to more than P300 million; the questionable transfer of P530,382,445 from the OWWA Medicare Fund to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation; the P728 million Fertilizer Fund that was allegedly used in the 2004 elections; and the P16.4 billion ($329 million) NBN/ZTE deal.

Good intention does not justify violating the law

Published by Ellen on June 21, 2018

Aquino announced the abolition of “pork barrel” but didn’t say anything about DAP in August 2013.

The indictment by the Ombudsman of former President Aquino over the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program which has been declared by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional is a warning to those in power that good intentions do not justify shortcutting the law.

In the first place, no one has a monopoly of good intentions. Adolf Hitler’s concept of a Master race was seen by many Germans as a noble intention for his countrymen. If you listened to Imelda Marcos talk about her lavish projects, they are all in her desire to bring out the “good and the beautiful” in the Filipino. President Duterte justifies his bloody war on drugs as his love for the country.

As one of her last acts before retiring next month, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved the resolution of the special panel granting the motion for reconsideration of complainants led by Isagani Zarate, Renato Reyes, Benjamin Valbuena, Mae Paner and others holding accountable Aquino for Usurpation of Legislative Powers under Article 239 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) in connection with the DAP.

The legacy of Ombudsman Carpio-Morales

Published by Ellen on May 28, 2018

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo from Ombudsman Facebook page.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales will not see the conclusion of the plunder case against President Duterte, his daughter Sara and son, Paolo before she steps down in July from the investigative body that she has presided with professionalism and integrity the past seven years.

But the fact that she has taken up the case and pursued the probe despite heavy pressure from Malacanang is her legacy to the Filipino people.

Morales has stood up to Duterte, whom she is related by affinity (her brother is the father-in-law of Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio) in the plunder case filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in May 2016 citing the 2015 report of the Commission on Audit of questionable disbursement of some P708 million to contractual employees, many of whom were not identified.

Ombudsman: Probe vs Duterte can be refiled

Published by Ellen on February 16, 2018

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. From Ombudsman’s FB page

Read carefully the reply of the Office of the Ombudsman to the announcement of Solicitor General Jose Calida Tuesday that the investigation on the plunder case filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has been terminated.

The letter sliced through Calida’s mediocrity while assuring the public that Malacañang has not succeeded in quashing the issue of President Duterte’s undeclared wealth.

The plunder case has not been dismissed. This is important. What Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang said in his Feb. 12 letter to Calida was “the investigation on the complaint entitled ‘Antonio F. Trillanes IV v Rodrigo Roa Duterte’ and docketed as FF-M-16-0161 was already closed and terminated” upon recommendation by Deputy Ombudsman Cyril E. Ramos on 29 November 2017.”

“By rule, ‘[a] closed and terminated field investigation is without prejudice to the refiling of a complaint with new or additional evidence,’” the Ombudsman said.

Duterte’s threats betray panic

Published by Ellen on October 1, 2017

Behind President Duterte’s curse-laden talks is a man in panic.

And the one subject that drives him up the wall is his alleged huge bank deposits that Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV first exposed last week of April 2016, weeks before the election that he won.

The latest development is the receipt by the Office of the Ombudsman of his and his family bank records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council in connection with the plunder and graft complaints filed by Trillanes.

Pres. Duterte lambasts Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, and Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang before members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Davao City Chapter. Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines.

Advice to Duterte: check on your hubris

Published by Ellen on November 27, 2016

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo from Ombudsman's Facebook. — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo from Ombudsman’s Facebook.

The statement of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales that the plunder and graft case filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV against then presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte is being investigated reassures those who are worried that the issue would be buried with the election of Duterte to the presidency.

Many were afraid that the Ombudsman ‘s office would just sit on the case because of Morales’ relations with the President.

Morales is the sister of lawyer Lucas Carpio Jr, the father-in-law of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of the President.

In a talk with reporters after she delivered a stirring speech at the UP Alumni Homecoming Friday, Morales said although she has inhibited herself from the case, “ it is undergoing investigation.”

Ombudsman calls Binay’s P200 M suit ‘a sham’

Published by Ellen on August 22, 2015

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales didn’t mince words in asking the Makati Regional Trial Court to dismiss the suit filed by Vice President Jejomar Binay against her and 12 other persons including senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“Considering that the Complaint appears to be patently bereft of the merit, the only inescapable conclusion is that plaintiff Binay’s suit is a sham,” she said.

Morales reply also dismissed Binay’s complaint as “an obvious publicity stunt calculated to harass and intimidate” her knowing that she will be the final approving authority in the event that the recommendation of the 2nd Special Panel handling the preliminary investigations is adverse to him.

Ombudsman gives substance to public officials’ accountability

Published by Ellen on July 2, 2015

When the Mamasapano tragedy, which claimed the lives of 67 people including 44 members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police, happened and the active role of suspended PNP chief Allan Purisima was exposed, a source told us that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales was angry.

Who would not be?

The tragedy happened Jan. 25, 2015. The Ombudsman had suspended Purisima in Dec. 2014 and he was supposed to be not involved in the operations of the PNP.

But details of events that led to the tragedy showed that despite the suspension, President Aquino involved Purisima in official operations.

It was a blatant flouting of the law.

Tag: Ombudsman Carpio-Morales