Ombudsman Morales on serving full term: We’re just following the law

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo by JHOANNA BALLARAN/INQUIRER.NET

“We are just following the law.”

That was the response of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Thursday to President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that she is not entitled to a full term as she merely replaced her predecessor, former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Morales, in an interview with reporters at the 2017 Ramon Magsaysay Awards at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City, cited the Ombudsman Act of 1989, which she said entitles her to a full term.

“It says the when the incumbent Ombudsman leaves the office by reason of death, removal, resignation, or disability, permanent disability, the overall deputy ombudsman shall be the acting ombudsman until a new ombudsman is appointed who shall serve for a full term,” Morales said.

“Sinusunod lang namin yung batas na yon, (We are just following the law),” she added.

Duterte earlier said that Morales should only serve the remaining term of Gutierrez, who resigned after facing impeachment raps in 2011.

The President said that her hold to her position is “very, very precarious.”

In June, lawyer Rey Ifurung said Morales’ term should have expired in 2015, the expiration of Gutierrez’s seven-year term. JE