26 solons pledge support for embattled Office of the Ombudsman

Ombudsman supporters hold a solidarity Mass outside the agency’s office. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net file photo

Amid threats of impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, 26 lawmakers have filed a resolution vouching support to “preserve and protect the constitutional independence and integrity” of the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Liberal Party (LP), in a statement on Tuesday, said 21 of the signatories belong to the group. They are:

1. Francis Gerald Abaya – 1st District, Cavite
2. Benjie Agarao – 4th District, Laguna
3. Vicente Alcala, 2nd District, Quezon
4. Isagani Amatong, 3rd District, Zamboanga del Norte
5. Kaka Bag-ao – Lone District, Dinagat Island
6. Bolet Banal – 3rd District, Quezon City
7. Kit Belmonte – 6th District, Quezon City
8. Emmanuel Billones – 1st District, Capiz
9. Gabriel Bordado – 3rd District, Camarines Sur
10. Raul Daza – 1st District, Northern Samar
11. Raul del Mar – 1st District, Cebu City
12. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla – 2nd District, Zambales
13. Christopher De Venecia – 4th District, Pangasinan
14. Edgar Erice – 2nd District, Caloocan
15. Edcel Lagman – 1st District, Albay
16. Jocelyn Limkaichong – 1st District, Negros Oriental
17. Miro Quimbo – 2nd District, Marikina
18. Josephine Ramirez-Sato – Lone District, Occidental Mindoro
19. Rene Relampagos – 1st District, Bohol
20. Vilma Santos-Recto – 6th District, Batangas
21. Edgar Mary Sarmiento – 1st District, Samar

Other signatories include Bukidnon 1st District Rep. Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, Cavite 2nd District Rep. Strike Revilla, Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Lawrence Fortun, and Siquijor lone District Rep. Rav Rocamora.

In the resolution filed Monday, the authors stressed that the Office of the Ombudsman was created under the 1987 Constitution to act as an independent body “to serve as protectors of the people against inept, abusive, and corrupt in government.”

“The framers of the Constitution intended that these independent bodies be insulated from political pressure to the extent that the absence of independence would result in the impairment of their core functions to shield it from the pressures and influence of officialdom and partisan politics and from fear of external reprisal,” it said.

Early this year, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) has expressed plans to throw an impeachment complaint against Morales, but has yet to be filed formally at the House, the LP statement added.

Lawyers Ferdinand Topacio and Jing Paras, a former congressman, said they have drafted the complaint, but have yet to finalize it, the LP added.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in a recent statement, also said he will file an impeachment complaint against Morales over “selective justice.” /jpv

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