FLASH REPORT!!! The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. and other respondents ten (10) days to file their counter affidavits to the complaint for plunder, malversation of public funds, violations of RA 9184 and RA 3019 in connection with the Iloilo Convention Center. The Ombudsman also directed Singson, Jimenez, Mark Lapid and DPWH officials named in the complaint to file their counter affidavits on charges of dishonesty and grave misconduct in the Administrative case. Apparently, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales didnt think my complaint was a dud. The Ombudsman has the power to outrightly dismiss a complaint if it has no basis in fact and in law. For cases where the Ombudsman finds the evidence submitted to be inadequate, it usually conducts a fact-finding investigation to substantiate the allegations. This happened in the cases filed by the NBI against Senators Enrile, Revilla and Estrada. Where the Ombudsman finds sufficiency in form and substance, it can order a preliminary investigation to be conducted as what happened in this case. While this is just the start of a long legal battle, I consider this a vindication, because it established that my complaint has enough evidence to stand on. This is the first time a Senate President is named a respondent in a formal criminal charge before the Ombudsman. I have faith in the objectivity and fairness of Ombudsman Carpio-Morales.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:26:18 +0000
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