Ombudsman Morales: Duterte will observe rule of law

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. INQUIRER PHOTO / JILSON SECKLER TIU

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales sees no reason to be alarmed over the plan of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte to get rid of corrupt officials and of criminals by killing them and throwing their bodies into Manila Bay to fatten the fishes.

The head of the anti-graft body, who admitted to having ties with the Duterte family, expressed confidence that the tough-talking Davao City mayor, being a lawyer, will observe the rule of law amid fears that he will resort to summary executions when he becomes President.

“He being a lawyer, I know he will observe the rule of law,” Morales said in a press conference on Thursday.

READ: Duterte vows to continue killing criminals ‘in accordance with law’

Duterte earlier threatened to execute criminals and corrupt officials and dump them into Manila Bay.

“That is his warning, but whether or not he will actually do it remains to be seen,” she said.

READ: Duterte to order ‘shoot-to-kill’ for criminals, reinstate death penalty

Duterte’s remarks

Answering questions from the media with candor, Morales weighed in on Duterte’s rude manner of speaking, which she said may have brought Duterte to fame.

“Mga patutsada niya, during election period lang ‘yun eh (His quips were only during the election period), and that’s what clicked I think. People wanted to hear something different,” she said.

READ: Why people like ‘Dirty Duterte’

With his tough image and speeches peppered with profanity, Morales said Duterte “made a phenomenon.”

“Ang dami-daming bumoto sa kanya, so some analysts think, what made him click? Mga sinasabi niya, which they think is alarming, baka ‘yun ‘yung nakaattract sa mga tao who voted for him,” she said.

(So many people voted for him, so some analysts think, what made him click? The things he said, which they think are alarming, could be what attracted people who voted for him.)

The husband of Duterte’s daughter Sara, Atty. Mans Carpio, is the son of the Ombudsman’s brother Atty. Lucas Carpio, whose wife is Court of Appeals Associate Justice Agnes Reyes-Carpio.

“In other words, he (Duterte) is the ‘balae’ of my brother,” she said.

Asked if she had spoken with Duterte, Morales said if she would be given a chance, she would certainly greet the mayor.

Duterte is currently in Davao City where several politicians, celebrities, personalities and supporters flocked to meet him.

READ: VIPs fly south to Duterte’s new seat of power

“But for me to go out of my way and personally visit him in Davao, I will not do that,” Morales said, drawing laughter from reporters.

If she personally visits the mayor, Morales said her enemies would just take advantage of the opportunity to create an issue against her. JE/rga