Morales in Washington for WB meet

WASHINGTON – World Bank vice president for integrity Leonard McCarthy has lauded Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales for being a tough anti-corruption fighter.

Morales is attending the second meeting of the World Bank’s International Corruption Hunters Alliance formed to prevent, investigate and prosecute fraud and corruption.

McCarthy said when World Bank president Robert Zoellick launched the alliance, he urged members to ignite a chain of crime fighting reactions.

“Last night I spoke to the Ombudsman of the Philippines, Madam Conchita Morales. She told me that she has tried to ignite a chain of crime fighting reactions in her country.”

As a result, one morning she found a hand-grenade at her doorstep.

“They were sending her a message, trying to intimidate her. But she is tough,” McCarthy said.

Morales will sign a “Memorandum of Understanding Between the Integrity VicePresidency of the World Bank Group and the Philippine Office of the Ombudsman” on Friday morning.

At her request no reporters have been invited, presumably so as not to detract attention from President Aquino who will be meeting President Barack Obama at the White House a few hours later.

The Alliance brings together more than 286 senior enforcement and anti-corruption officials from 134 countries to address global and regional corruption priorities and share their investigative knowledge and experience.

“To succeed in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of fraud and corruption, we need to create a community of practice that can leverage the tools, knowledge and expertise needed to fight transnational crimes and expedite actions by national anticorruption authorities,” McCarthy said.