Ex-solons and lawyers to Palace: ‘Bodily’ remove Carandang from office

Former lawmakers and lawyers file a motion before the Office of the President to “bodily or physically” remove Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang from Office after he refused to serve his 90-day preventive suspension. NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

Former lawmakers and lawyers on Friday filed a motion before the Office of the President asking that Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang be now “bodily or physically” removed from office for refusing to comply with an order which placed him under a 90-day preventive suspension.

Lawyers Manuelito Luna and Eligio Mallari and former lawmakers Jacinto “Jing” Paras and Glenn Chong, filed the complaint at around 1:00 p.m.

“As there is no other way to ensure compliance with the order of preventive suspension, and in view of such refusal, respondent Carandang may now be bodily or physically removed from office or physically restrained from the exercise thereof for the duration (90 days) of his preventive suspension, through the use of necessary and reasonable force,” the complaint read.

On January 29, Malacañang ordered Carandang’s suspension for 90 days for grave misconduct and other administrative offenses after he disclosed the alleged bank records of President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Ombudsman exec suspended over release of Duterte’s alleged bank transactions

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has insisted that the Palace has the power to discipline Carandang despite a 2014 Supreme Court decision which ruled that the Office of the President (OP) has “no power of discipline over the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman.”

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has said that she would not implement Malacañang’s suspension order against Carandang, claiming that it was unconstitutional.

READ: Morales refuses to enforce ‘unconstitutional’ suspension of deputy Ombudsman /muf