Solon endorses impeach complaint vs Ombudsman

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Lakas, Surigao del Norte) endorsed yesterday the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Aniano Desierto.

Barbers’ endorsement brought to five the number of House members supporting the complaint filed by lawyer Ernesto Francisco against Desierto.

The case was originally endorsed by Rep. Oscar Moreno (Lakas, Misamis Oriental), a member of the House panel that prosecuted ousted President Joseph Estrada in his aborted Senate impeachment trial.

He was later joined by the three representatives of the leftist party-list group Bayan Muna: Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran and Liza Maza.

Barbers is the first member of the "Spice Boys" in the House to support the case against Desierto, which has been sent to the committee on justice.

He said he found the complaint to be sufficient in form and substance.

He said the charges against Desierto have to be looked into for the sake of the Office of the Ombudsman.

In his complaint, Francisco accused the Ombudsman of alleged bribery, violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

He claimed that the Ombudsman received P300,000 worth of video equipment from his former client, Bank of Southeast Asia, and P500,000 in cash from the bank’s owner, Luke Roxas.

Desierto denies the accusations. Roxas has similarly denied having bribed Desierto.

Moreno and Barbers were among the Lakas congressmen led by former Speaker, now Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who supported the impeachment complaint against Estrada.

Belmonte headed the House prosecution panel, of which Moreno was a member.