Ombudsman could decide with finality on pork scam in less than a year

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales is almost certain that her office could decide with “finality” on the complaints filed in connection with the alleged P10-billion “pork-barrel” scam in just less than a year as it plans to file cases in court also in batches.

Morales made this assessment on Tuesday, a day after the National Bureau of Investigation recommended to her office the filing of plunder and other criminal charges against those involved in the scam.

She said the one-year period that she had earlier announced was just a “guess” and a”fair” estimate she made even before the NBI recommendations were filed at her office Monday.

“Your honor, we were just guessing. I said that (one-year period) before we received the documentary evidence,” Morales said, responding to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s queries during a budget hearing in the Senate.

“But I was giving a good, fair estimate. I didn’t like to be optimistic in saying we can resolve it in one month or two. We have to go over the evidence,” she said.

The Ombudsman said her office might also file cases in batches without waiting for the entire recommendations of NBI in relations to other personalities involved in the scam and the alleged misuse of Malampaya funds.

“Your honor, the DOJ (Department of Justice) filed cases by batches. And if that’s the case then we could also file cases by batches. In other words, we will not wait for the entire (findings of the NBI) to come over to us before we can decide with finality the cases which were filed yesterday,” she said.

“So that one year I gave is really just an estimate, it could be less. I don’t expect it to be more.  It can be less,” Morales stressed.
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman clarified that her office has no “administrative disciplinary jurisdiction” over a member of Congress involved in the scam.

Suspending a government official facing plunder charges, she said, would only come in once the case is filed in court.

But Morales said she was not in a position to say with authority whether or not the Sandiganbayan can motu proprio (on his own motion) suspend a defendant in a plunder case.

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