Duterte threatens investigation on Ombudsman

President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to probe the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged partiality and corruption.

In an interview taped on Tuesday that aired on state-run People’s Television on Thursday evening, Duterte said that he would set up a commission that would investigate the office and its personnel.

“You have to be investigated also. One of these days, kayo ang sigurado kong hahabulin dahil nga sa partiality ninyo. ‘Pag hindi ninyo imbestigahan ang sarili ninyo, ako ang mag-set up ng commission to investigate you as a President with investigating powers,” he said.

“Magkagulo tayo niyan kasi sino ang maimbestiga sa kalokohan ninyo? What is the remedy of the Filipino kung kayo magsige hingi. Huwag mo akong lokohin. Don’t force my hand into it. I will set up a commission to investigate the Ombudsman, the institution itself and all,” he added.

Duterte's pronouncements come a day after the Ombudsman announced it had started its probe into the alleged multi-billion peso wealth of the President and his family after Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's complaint was found to have sufficient basis.

Carandang said he had been authorized by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to act on the complaint of Trillanes and has already requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council for a final validation on the bank transaction records of the first family.

He added that initial bank records show the flow of money through deposits and withdrawals from Duterte's sons, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo and Sebastian "Baste," and his joint accounts with his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Carandang said the accounts of Duterte's common-law wife, Honeylet Avancena, and their daughter, Kitty, were also included in the records obtained by the Ombudsman.

Carandang said the same complaint of Trillanes was sufficient enough for the AMLC to conduct an inquiry on the bank accounts of Duterte's family.

P211 million challenge

Duterte challenged the Ombudsman to find the alleged P211 million in his bank account.

“The Ombudsman has investigated me ever since, hindi nahinto iyan. OK lang iyan sa akin iyan, nasa gobyerno ako. Kayong mga Ombudsman, hanapin ninyo iyan. Kasi kung makuha ninyo iyang 211 million, maghati tayo, ibigay ko sa inyo, tapos magdemanda kayo ng kaso,” he said.

But Duterte also questioned the Ombudsman for seemingly favoring lawmakers allied with the Liberal Party, saying the were let off the hook in cases involving their Disbursement Acceleration Program.

“Pareho iyong kay Trillanes, huwag mo rin iyong kalimutan. Pero ‘pag hindi, eh ibang istorya niya iyan,” he said.

“Wala namang Liberal na nakita ko na puro naman sila may DAP cases… Are you beholden to the Liberal?” he added. —JST, GMA News