Ombudsman Samuel Martires questioned the House of Representatives for giving the body a copy of its report on the allegations against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Martires made the statement after House spokesperson Princess Abante said the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability did not file a complaint against the Vice President before the Ombudsman.
“Why did they furnish us a copy of the result of their investigation? Do they expect us to use it as scratch paper? We’re not even a part of that investigation of the House of Representatives so we should not have been furnished a copy of the report,” Martires said.
“Perhaps, they are just confused or the spokesperson is confused,” he said. “The one who endorsed to us the report of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is the Secretary General himself. And the Secretary General said in his letter that the committee report of Representative Joel Chua was adopted by the House of Representatives.”
Martires said the Ombudsman made the House committee, represented by Chua, as complainant in the case.
For her part, former senator Leila de Lima, who is set to join the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, expressed concern on the possible adverse impact that the criminal case before the Ombudsman might cause should it be junked.
De Lima noted the Ombudsman appeared to have moved too quickly on the criminal case over Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, which is part of the articles of impeachment against the Vice President.
“There’s really room and reason for concern, especially on the part of impeachment prosecutors,” De Lima said.
“That (speed) was out of character. You can say the Ombudsman moved too quickly in asking VP Sara to answer the complaint. And we must take note that the Ombudsman is about to retire.”
“If that (Ombudsman complaint) is dismissed, necessarily that would have an effect on the impeachment case in the trial. The defense counsel will bring it up,” she added.
The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability furnished the Ombudsman its report on June 16.
The Ombudsman issued the order for Duterte to answer the complaint on June 19.
The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability recommended the filing of multiple criminal charges against Duterte in its report.
The recommended charges include plunder, technical malversation, falsification of public documents, bribery and corruption.
