Greco Belgica. 好色先生TV FILE PHOTO
A former Manila councilor聽on Friday聽filed a disbarment case against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.
Greco Belgica, who also ran and lost in the 2016 senatorial elections, filed the complaint before the Supreme Court, citing the Ombudsman鈥檚 dismissal of the graft and technical malversation case against former President Benigno Aquino III in connection with the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
He said Morales violated the Lawyer鈥檚 Oath and the Canon of Professional Responsibility for approving the resolution acquitting Aquino. But the same resolution聽found probable cause in filing the same cases against former budget Secretary Florencio Abad.
READ: Ombudsman hit for clearing Aquino on DAP
Belgica said that by absolving Aquino without providing reason Morales showed bias in favor of the former President who appointed her in contrast with the way she prosecuted former President Gloria Arroyo.
鈥淏eing appointed by former president Benigno Aquino who actively prosecuted former president Gloria Arroyo, the people perceived her as biased. Her dismissal of the complaint is concrete proof of her bias. She failed to uphold the integrity of the legal profession by not doing what justice demands,鈥� Belgica said.
READ: Ombudsman on Aquino: He鈥檚 corrupt-free
While he said he is aware that the Ombudsman is an impeachable official, a case can still be filed against her if the penalty will not remove her from office.
鈥淲hen a public official does not give justice to her assigned task, then something has to be done. Otherwise, we are beholden to her whims and caprice until Congress decides to act on it,鈥� Belgica said.
鈥淭his complaint seeks to bring everyone back to the reality that no one is above the law and public officials should always remember that public office is a public trust鈥o repeat, this complaint does not seek the disbarment or disqualification of the Ombudsman during her term of office,鈥� he added.
In his prayer, he asked the high court to impose the penalty of public censure against Morales or defer the imposition of the penalty of disbarment after the expiration of term of office.
Belgica said Morales 鈥渇ailed to perform her primary duty as a lawyer engaged in the public prosecution because she did not see to it that justice is done to the detriment of the Filipino people.鈥�
Aquino appointed Morales to the post of Ombudsman when she retired as Supreme Court associate justice in 2011.
She is due to retire on聽July 25聽next year. IDL