Morales on criticisms she favored ex-Pres. Noynoy: Look at the facts

Amid allegations that she "favored" former President Benigno Aquino III for only slapping him with a usurpation case, outgoing Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Thursday stressed that the case filed was solely based on facts.

"Eh mas magaling pa sila, hindi naman nila tiningnan ang evidence niyan eh, di naman nila tiningnan ang facts," Morales said in an interview on GMA News TV's News To Go.

When asked if he was an Aquino "favorite," Morales' reply was: "I didn't know him. I didn't know the President."

"I was hesitant to accept the position. I wanted the luxury of the retirement, it was evading me for some time. Sabi ko it's time to retire but well, siguro destiny brought me here," she added.

It was Aquino who appointed Morales to the anti-graft body following her retirement from the high tribunal in 2011. It was before Morales that Aquino took his oath on June 30, 2010.

In a resolution dated June 14, the Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Aquino and former Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad for usurpation of legislative powers under Article 239 of the Revised Penal Code before the Sandiganbayan.

The case stemmed from the alleged unlawful realignment of government savings by virtue of National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 541 to stimulate the economy during the Aquino regime.

Morales, in a separate forum, rebuked accusations of selective justice against the Office of the Ombudsman.

"This office has recently indicted higher-ranking officials involved in controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program, or the DAP case. Where is this claim of selective justice coming from?" Morales said.

"Is it selective when our decisions are challenged in courts, which mostly affirm our decisions? No matter how important public opinion is, we obviously cannot fully operate on mere perceptions," she added.

Morales is set to retire on July 26. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News