UNA hits harassment of Binay allies

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Wednesday denounced Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, accusing her of harassing the allies of UNA standard-bearer, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan cited the graft case that the Ombudsman is set to file against reelectionist Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia as well as its affirmation of the graft case against former Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito.

Criminal cases are also set to be filed against former Special Action Force chief Gen. Getulio Napeñas for his role in the botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, last year that resulted in the massacre of 44 elite police commandos by Muslim rebels.

Napeñas is running for senator under UNA while Garcia and Ejercito, key supporters of Binay, are seeking reelection in their respective provinces.

Garcia is facing a graft case for alleged irregularities in the construction of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) back in 2006. Garcia and the Cebu provincial government are being held liable for not undertaking a public bidding before they awarded several contracts for the CICC worth a total of P425.6 million 10 years ago.

In the case of Ejercito, the Ombudsman affirmed last week the filing of a case before the Sandiganbayan against the disqualified governor of Laguna over an allegedly anomalous insurance deal back in 2008.

In a statement, Ilagan questioned the timing of the graft cases against Garcia and Ejercito. He said the Ombudsman had sat on the cases for almost a decade and then suddenly revived them.

“It’s quite sad that the Office of the Ombudsman allows itself to be used as a tool by the administration to harass the political opposition,” he said.

Ilagan said the party had expected the Ombudsman to go after not only Binay but also the Vice President’s allies in the opposition, “particularly those who have strong influence in local politics.”

He said it was “clear that (Carpio Morales) was interfering in the elections by her filing of cases left and right” against the opposition. He questioned why she has not done so in the cases involving members of the ruling the Liberal Party like Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

Meanwhile, UNA president and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said he did not expect the criminal case to be filed against Napeñas to affect negatively his chances in the Senate race.

In a phone interview, Tiangco said people had long decided “on their conclusions about Mamasapano and who were at fault”.

He said the impending case against Napeñas could even have a “positive impact” on his senatorial bid because the Mamasapano massacre will be talked about and elicit sympathy for him.

The Ombudsman the other day found Napeñas and former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima criminal liable for the botched police operation.

Morales said the two violated a provision of Republic Act No. 3019 that prohibits a public officer from persuading or influencing another officer to “perform an act constituting a violation of rules or regulations.”

RELATED VIDEOS