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Mareng Winnie brings the hot seat to the office of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales
She's a no-nonsense lady and has very little patience for those whose passion and professionalism do not match hers.
She leaves her Muntinlupa home early and is at her desk by 6:30 AM. She is forgiving of those who show up at 7 or 8 AM, but those who show up past 9 AM, she greets with a cold "good evening."
As a trial judge in her younger days, she was known for being strict. A lawyer once sent word that he cannot show up in court because he was sick. Judge Carpio Morales sent her sheriff to the lawyer's house to verify if the claim was true. The lawyer wasn't at home. He was cited for contempt.
Even former Ombudsman Aniano Desierto was not spared her confrontational ways. Desierto was quoted as saying Justice Carpio Morales may not be able to handle the physical demands of her new job. Days later, while shoe-shopping, she was told Desierto was nearby. Justice Morales confronted Desierto, pointed to her face, and asked "Is this the face of a 70-year old?" Desierto could only say he was misquoted.
"He (Desierto) was young when he was Ombudsman but was he capable to make us a spotless state?" she asks.
In a one-on-one interview with Prof. Solita Monsod, Ombudsman Carpio Morales says these days, much of her time is spent working on the numerous cases filed by the public, on top of the high-profile cases her agency handles.
Last year, 3,168 criminal complaints were filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, 471 of them involving high officials. However, the agency only has 1,200 lawyers, a thousand short of its 2,200 requirement.
Asked if she still has time for her husband, Justice Carpio Morales said "being a wife is not just a nocturnal activity. There's always matinee."
Get to know the lighter side of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie on Monday, 10 PM, GMA News TV Channel 11.
