Probe ‘pork’ scammers first–Ombudsman
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales. INQUIRER file photo
MANILA, Philippines – A preliminary investigation and not the filing of cases against those involved in the alleged P10 billion pork barrel scam, has been recommended by an investigating arm of the Office of the Ombudsman, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales herself said on Thursday.
“No. they recommended that the charges be subjected to preliminary investigation,” Morales told reporters in the Senate when asked if the reports were true that the Field Investigating Office (FIO) of her office has recommended the filing of cases against the respondents in the scam before the Sandiganbayan.
“Iba yung preliminary investigation, iba yung filing of case in the Sandiganbayan,” she pointed out.
Morales also denied that she received an eight-page memorandum from the investigating team of her office, which named Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile as the mastermind of the scam .
“I’m surprised about that eight-page memo,. There’s no such thing as eight-page memo,” she said.
“I have several memos. I don’t recall about an eight-page memo pero ang memo na natataggap ko more than 200 pages,” she added.
The Ombudsman also refused to say when her office would decide whether or not to file the charges against those involved in the scam.
“Ayan na naman kayo, pag mabilis magrereklamo, pag matagal nagrereklamo. You know men are fools. When it’s hot, you want it cold, when it’s cold you want it hot,” Morales said.
“So I’m not going to say whether it’s going to be done or over by the year’s end,” she added.
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