Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Tuesday said she will not back down from her constitutional duties, the latest of a word war between her and President Rodrigo Duterte.
Morales made the statement following President Rodrigo Duterte’s accusation that her office illegally obtained documents in its investigation into the Chief Executive’s alleged bank accounts containing millions of unexplained wealth.
“I will not be baited into abandoning my constitutional duties,” Morales said in the statement.
READ: Duterte: Ombudsman has illegally obtained documents on my bank records
Morales said she expected the President to face the accusations against him instead of engaging in a word war.
“If the President has charges against me, I will answer them in accordance with the law. I expect him to answer the charges against him in the same manner,” Morales said.
“As public officials we have sworn to uphold the rule of law. We should as well, serve with honor, honesty and decency,” she added.
READ: Duterte dares Sereno, Morales: Open bank books
Morales and Duterte engaged in a word war following an Inquirer report quoting Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang that the office has started its fact-finding investigation into the complaint filed against the President by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
READ: Ombudsman probes Duterte family’s wealth | Carandang: Ombudsman has observed confidentiality in probe on Duterte
Carandang on Tuesday was sued with a complaint for graft and corruption, violations of the bank secrecy law, grave misconduct, gross dishonesty, and ethics breach before the Office of the President for “falsely claiming” that the Ombudsman has received a document from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMlC)
The AMLC has denied supplying the Ombudsman its report on the family’s alleged wealth.
READ: Raps filed vs Ombudsman execs probing Duterte family wealth | AMLC denies releasing info on Duterte bank records
Following the Ombudsman’s probe, Duterte retaliated by threatening to create a commission to investigate the anti-graft office’s alleged corrupt acts. The Ombudsman pushed back by saying it would not be cowed by the President’s threats. /je
READ: Ombudsman: ‘Sorry, Mr. President, but this Office shall not be intimidated’