Impeachment charges to be filed against Morales next month

An impeachment complaint will be filed before the House of Representatives against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales next month, according to lawyer Manuelito Luna.The following will file the complaint, according to the lawyer: “The SAF 44 relatives” (the SAF 44 refers to Special Action Force members who died in a counter-terror operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015); Tanggulang Demokrasya; Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution; suspended Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol 3rd; former Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong, and former Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto Paras.“We will go all out and make known to the public the impeachable offences committed by the Ombudsman because this is a matter of great public interest,” Luna said during the Forum yesterday at Annabel’s restaurant in Quezon City.Luna told reporters that the grounds that would be raised in the impeachment complaint, would be betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and graft and corruption.Alleged selective justice, inordinate delay, and conspiracy with Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang would constitute the said grounds, he told Manila Times in a text message.Luna also mentioned to reporters the alleged failure to investigate Carandang for the latter’s alleged “misconduct in office.”Luna and lawyer Eligio Mallari, in an administrative complaint filed earlier this month before the Office of the President, sought the ouster of Carandang and other officials in the Office of the Ombudsman-Mindanao over the disclosure of the bank transaction records of President Rodrigo Duterte and his family.Morales, a retired Supreme Court associate justice, was appointed as Ombudsman in late July 2011. Her seven-year term will end next year.According to Luna, the end of the Ombudsman’s term “is immaterial.” He told reporters that “the remaining period in office doesn’t matter. It is really whether or not she has committed impeachable offences.”