Senator Antonio Trillanes IV dismissed on Monday as “another Duterte tactic that’s meant to bully democratic institutions” the decision of Malacañang to suspend and charge Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang over the release of the alleged bank transactions of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Clearly, this is another Duterte tactic that’s meant to bully democratic institutions into submission so he could go on with his dictatorial and corrupt ways,” Trillanes, a staunch critic of Duterte, said in a post on the Senate’s official Facebook page.
Trillanes also said that Malacañang’s move was an “impeachable offense” for it violated Section 5 of Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, which “states the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman and its Deputies.”
In a Palace press briefing earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced Carandang’s 90-day preventive suspension after the Office of the Executive Secretary formally charged him for grave misconduct and grave dishonesty, among others, in connection to the complaint filed by lawyers Manuelito Luna and Eligio Mallari.
READ: Ombudsman exec suspended over release of Duterte’s alleged bank transactions
Carandang was facing an administrative complaint for revealing the alleged details of his agency’s investigation into the Duterte family’s wealth. /kga