Morales on Edna Batacan as next Ombudsman: God forbid

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

God forbid.

Outgoing Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said this of the prospect of lawyer Edna Herrera-Batacan, former counsel of President Rodrigo Duterte, taking her place when she retires from her post on July 25.

“God forbid. I said, God forbid. You have to have competence, you have to have honesty, you have to have industry,” Morales said in an interview aired over ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.

“If she (Batacan) has all of these, go ahead please. But by all indications, my God! Look at her interview. You be the judge,” Morales added.

The Ombudsman pointed out that during the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) interview, Batacan herself admitted being a party to an alleged “pay off.”

“She was digging her own grave because she said she was a victim, she was participant to a payoff so I said if you’re party to corruption, you are corrupt yourself,” Morales said.

She said Batacan’s claim was “complemented” by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio’s allegation that Batacan allegedly asked P8 million from a common client supposedly to give it to an Ombudsman.

READ: Lawyer opposes Batacan bid for Ombudsman

“I hope that official from the Ombudsman was not me. I hope they are not referring to me because I’m going to make it difficult for their life if they say that that same amount was going to be given to me,” Morales said. /je