Group hits SC justices for backing Martires for Ombudsman

Associate Justice Samuel Martires. INQUIRER FILE / LYN RILLON

A group of “theological educators” slammed members of the Supreme Court on Wednesday for backing Associate Justice Samuel Martires as the next Ombudsman.

In a statement, the “Group of Evangelical and Catholic theological educators” said the Filipino people deserve better than Martires as Ombudsman.

On Tuesday, 11 SC justices recommended Martires for the position set to be vacated by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

“The appointment of Associate Justice Martires as the next Ombudsman is to besmirch the institution and compromise its independence,” claimed Dr. Annelle Sabanal, spokesperson of the group.

“Moreover, to appoint someone with such a history of enduring bias and questionable integrity violates the Constitutional mandate and purposely blurs its vision,” she said. “The Filipino people deserve better than this.”

READ: Clergymen oppose nomination of SC justice as Ombudsman

The group added that the SC’s endorsement “flies in the face of the Constitutional stipulation that the Ombudsman must possess probity and independence.”

It filed an opposition in June claiming that Martires showed “blatant lack of respect for faith-based communities” when he raised “patently biased” questions during the high court’s proceedings on April 10 in Baguio City. /cbb