Admin raps filed vs Ombuds execs

MANILA - Officials of the Office of the Ombudsman, including Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang who is leading a probe into the alleged hidden wealth of President Rodrigo Duterte, have been charged administratively.

Lawyers Manuel Luna and Eligio Mallari filed the complaint before the Office of the President (OP) on Tuesday, October 3.

Aside from Carandang, also named respondents were Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman, and members of the fact-finding investigation team of Ombudsman’s office in Mindanao.

The complaint stemmed from anti-graft body’s ongoing investigation into the alleged multi-billion peso undeclared wealth of Duterte and his family.

Carandang earlier claimed that he obtained records of Duterte family’s bank transactions from Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

The AMLC, in response, denied that it was the source of copies of Duterte’s bank records, noting that it is yet to evaluate Carandang’s request to release such documents.

The removal of Carandang, Elman, and members of anti-graft body’s investigation team in Mindanao was sought on the grounds of graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and gross misconduct.

In the complaint, Carandang was accused of committing graft and corruption “for divulging information of a confidential character, acquired by him on account of his official position to unauthorized persons.”

Carandang also allegedly betrayed public trust “for falsely and maliciously claiming that the AMLC had issued a report regarding the alleged account deposits of President Rodrigo Duterte.”

“His (Carandang) disclosures of the inflows and outflows of funds, amounts of the account deposits, nature of the bank deposits, depositors’ names, and other details are not benign, but are calculated to destabilize the economy, if not the entire Government,” Luna and Mallari said.

Duterte, who has been the subject of Ombudsman’s inquiry, has warned Carandang against using “fabricated” evidence against him and his family. The President has also maintained that he would not cooperate with the Ombudsman, in connection with the probe into his alleged ill-gotten wealth. SunStar Philippines