Malacañang dismisses deputy ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the President (OP) has dismissed from service Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang for disclosing information about a probe on the alleged illegal wealth of President Duterte and his family.

It is unclear if the new ombudsman will implement the order.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday that Carandang committed graft and betrayed public trust when he revealed that the Office of the Ombudsman was investigating the alleged illegal wealth of the President and his children.

“The Office of the President has come to the decision to dismiss Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang after giving due consideration to the administrative complaints filed against him,” Roque said.

He said the OP found that Carandang manifested partiality and violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. 

Roque said Carandang, whose term is supposed to be until 2020, breached his duty to protect confidential information. 

“This decision was reached after giving Mr. Carandang the appropriate opportunity to respond to the charges filed against him,” he added.

In a 10-page order released by the Office of the Executive Secretary to journalists  yesterday, Carandang was ordered dismissed while his co-respondents were freed from any liability arising from the same charges.

The charges against Carandang stemmed from his statement issued in September last year, wherein he said that then ombudsman Conchita-Carpio Morales authorized him to probe Duterte’s bank transactions when the latter was mayor of Davao City.

Carandang said his office had obtained documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) showing Duterte and his family have over P1 billion worth of transactions in several banks from 2006 to 2016.

The AMLC denied providing any bank records to Carandang, saying it has yet to determine if there is ground to initiate an investigation on Duterte’s bank transactions.

No comment

Ombudsman Samuel Martires refused to comment if he would implement the dismissal order against Carandang.

“I have yet to assume office and read the decision,” Martires told journalists during a visit at the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City yesterday.

He refused to be interviewed on several issues, saying he has yet to formally take his oath as ombudsman.

In January, the Office of the President suspended Carandang for 90 days for grave misconduct and dishonesty.

Morales refused to implement the suspension order, saying it was “patently unconstitutional” and “impairs” the Office of the Ombudsman’s independence.

Morales said the SC had declared that the OP has no administrative disciplinary jurisdiction over deputy ombudsmen.

She cited a high court ruling on the case of former deputy ombudsman for the military and other law enforcement offices Emilio Gonzales III, who was dismissed from the service by former president Benigno Aquino III over the bloody hostage-taking incident in Rizal Park on Aug. 23, 2010.

The high tribunal voided Section 8(2) of Republic Act 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, which grants the president the power to remove a deputy ombudsman.

Morales recently disclosed that the ombudsman’s internal affairs board has launched a motu propio (self-initiated) investigation against Carandang for possible administrative and criminal liabilities.

The probe was still in connection with Carandang’s supposed questionable release of Duterte’s bank information.

The ombudsman announced it terminated its probe on Duterte’s wealth in February, citing the AMLC’s refusal to provide a report or confirmation on the requested vital data.

Morales later clarified the investigation might still be reopened if new evidence comes up. – With Elizabeth Marcelo