Ombudsman raps vs Aquino ‘expected, part of the process’ says Drilon

Senator Franklin Drilon and former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino lll. INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said he was no longer surprised by the filing of charges against former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III before the Sandiganbayan, saying it was part of the process after the Office of the Ombudsman had found basis to pursue the case against the former leader.

“That is expected because the Ombudsman already had that resolution finding basis for filing the information and the information today is the consequence of that previous resolution,” Drilon said in a statement on Wednesday.

“So that is part of the process. So that is expected,” he added.

Drilon and Aquino both belong to the Liberal Party.

On Wednesday, the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft and usurpation of authority charges against Aquino over his alleged hand in the operation of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) against terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, at Tuknalipao, Mamasapano last Jan. 25, 2015.

The operation resulted to the death of 44 PNP-SAF commandos.

READ: Ombudsman files raps vs Aquino over Mamasapano incident

Drilon pointed out that it would even be a surprise if the Ombudsman did not file the charges against Aquino because that would be “inconsistent and not in accordance with the procedure.”

“Having issued already a resolution finding that there is basis for usurpation then the information follows as a matter of course,” he added. /je