MANILA – Newly appointed Ombudsman Samuel Martires promised to be impartial in handling high-profile cases, including that of presidential son and resigned Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte.
Martires said he will not give special treatment to Duterte and will file charges against him if ever Ombudsman investigators find that there is probable cause.
“Kung the evidence will show that there is a probable cause to file charges against any members of the [first] family, why not? Kaya nga ako tinalaga dito. Pero kung wala naman, sana tanggapin,” Martires said.
Retired Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said Duterte is being investigated for a criminal complaint related to his statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth.
In 2011, Martires penned the Sandiganbayan decision that junked graft charges against then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte over the demolition of a park built by his political rival Prospero Nograles.
Aside from that of the President’s son, there are other pending high-profile cases at the Ombudsman involving former presidents Gloria Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III.
Carpio-Morales earlier said Arroyo – who was elected House Speaker on July 23 – ll has pending plunder case in relation to her alleged misuse of intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office before the Ombudsman.
“It is still under investigation and nothing has been turned over to me by the investigators as of now,” Carpio-Morales said on Thursday, the day she retired.
The former Ombudsman is confident that Arroyo having been elected as House Speaker will not affect the probe of Ombudsman’s field investigators.
“I don’t think the position of the particular respondent has something to do with whether the office can determine her guilt or not. It does not have a bearing with her pending case,” Carpio-Morales said.
“If she’s a speaker and has a pending case which involves criminal and administrative adjudication, I think the case can go on and charges will be filed if there’s probable cause,” she added.
Martires said he will not allow politicians to use him to “prosecute their political enemies.”
“I don’t have that persecution complex,” he stressed, adding “Ang tawag nila sa akin faith-shamer. Eh kaya lang hindi ko maiiwasang magpasalamat sa Panginoon at ako ang na-appoint dahil matagal ko nang minimithi ito. Nagpapasalamat ako kay Presidente na ako ang napili niya.”/PN
