Panelo mulls asking SC to stop Ombudsman probe on Duterte wealth

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Sunday said that he was reviewing the possibility of asking the Supreme Court to halt the investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman into the alleged hidden wealth of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an interview on radio dzBB, Panelo said that Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang violated the law when he revealed that they will be investigating the President on his alleged hidden wealth.

"Alam mo ang nire-react ng Presidente kasi itong si Carandang, kasi ... lumabag siya sa ating batas. Ang batas kasi hindi ka pupwedeng maglabas ng mga investigatory records 'pag meron kang iniimbestiga, kasi sisirain mo yung chance ng respondent to a fair trial, nakasisira ka ng imahen," Panelo said. 

Also, he said that the Ombudsman cannot sue a sitting President due to his immunity, noting that this will only affect his efficiency in doing his duties.

Panelo also clarifies the doctrine on immunity from suit of a sitting President.

"Alam mo yung Section 22 ng Republic Act 6770, sinasabi doon na meron silang power to investigate sa mga impeachable officers, itong provision na ito ay labag sa doktrina na immunity from suit ng Presidente kasi meron tayong doktrina na you cannot sue a sitting Presidente...because sisirain mo yung kanyang efficiency pati yung oras niya, gagawin niya ipagtatanggol niya yung sarili niya,"

"Gaya ng nangyayari ngayon, siniraan nila ang Presidente, ngayon nagpupwersa siya na ipagtanggol ang sarili niya kahit nagko-concentrate siya sa maraming problema ng bayan," he added. 

All these have prompted the President's camp to look into the possibility of seeking the help of the Supreme Court.

"Pupunta kami sa Korte Suprema para patigilin sila," he said.

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

The AMLC had denied providing the Ombudsman with documents and information related to its investigation, adding that the attachment to complaint contained "wrong and misleading" amounts.

Duterte had said that he won't cooperate with the investigation of the Ombudsman, saying that documents the anti-graft body has obtained were "fabricated.." He had also threatened to investigate the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged partiality and corruption. —LBG, GMA News