MANILA – At least 30 congressmen have signified their intention to back the impeachment complaint being poised against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, according to one of its prime movers. The question is, who will do it first?
Since early this year, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) has been threatening Morales with impeachment, but it has yet to be filed formally at the House of Representatives.
Lawyers Ferdinand Topacio and Jing Paras who is also a former congressman, said they have drafted the complaint, but have yet to finalize it. A copy of the complaint was sent to the Office of the Speaker.
Paras, legal counsel of VACC, said many groups and individuals have approached them seeking to include their case in the complaint.
“It’s not true that there are no endorsers. . . .[We are talking to] 30 (congressmen) who said yes,” he said.
“For sure, we will have more than one (endorser),” he added.
Topacio admitted they have called Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco to seek his endorsement, but that the congressman turned it down.
In a news conference Wednesday, relatives of three of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) killed in a controversial police operation in 2015, joined the VACC and sought the Ombudsman’s resignation or impeachment.
Teresita Nacino, mother of PO2 Nicky Nacino Jr., said justice has been elusive to the families of the SAF 44 two years after the incident.
“Nananawagan kami na pakinggan sana kami. Kung hindi mo na kaya ang trabaho mo, mag-resign ka o ma-impeach na [We ask to be heard. If you can no longer do your job, better resign or be impeached],” she said.
Julie Danao, mother of PO2 Walner Danao, said, “Sana naman bigyan na ng tamang hakbang ang aming kaso para kami ay maka-move on [We hope our case will get a good break so we can move on].”
Danao was one of the SAF relatives who filed a complaint against former President Benigno Aquino III before the Ombudsman over the botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
In July 2015, investigators of the Office of the Ombudsman said they found no evidence that would point to Aquino’s accountability over the incident.
In a statement, the VACC said they are “outraged” by the decision of the Ombudsman excluding Aquino from the case.
“We have been aggrieved by the decision of the Ombudsman that absolved the former President from responsibility in the killings. This is a clear display of selective justice by Ombudsman Morales,” the group said.
“Ombudsman Morales chose to close her eyes to this blatant abuse by dismissing the charges against Aquino who happened to have appointed her. Her biased brand of justice — coddling an erring President — is unfortunate,” VACC added.