PRESIDENT Aquino-appointed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales appears to be already insulting the wisdom and competence of Sandiganbayan justices when she refused to release the first panel’s findings and resolution on the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) complaint of plunder against ex-President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo saying it could only confuse the issue and mislead the honorable justices and concerned parties.
What? Having been a Supreme Court associate justice, Carpio-Morales must know for herself that these justices must be very knowledgeable on their field as they’re mandated to appreciate all the documents and rules as to their significance to the case.
This writer wouldn’t want to think that Carpio-Morales is giving tremendous favor to her Malacañan patron who’s responsible on where she’s right now. Hence, she can’t just release it for obvious reason that the first resolution cleared the former president of the crime of plunder.
Or she finds it hard to justify a second panel’s altered resolution of charging PNoy’s predecessor with plunder on the basis of the same findings made by the first panel?
Aside from insisting of being a privileged communication, the Ombudsman says that
the first resolution, if released, could only sow confusion in the minds of the court and
the public.
Or again, is it just her way of evading accountability for her politically motivated actions as what my favorite columnist and boss at Daily Tribune – Ms. Ninez Cacho-Olivarez – said in one of her recent similar articles?
In her desire to satisfy PNoy, she’s already betraying public trust as she’s now the one withholding evidence and, at the same time, defying the Sandiganbayan’s order.
Carpio-Morales must be made to explain to the court why the findings were contradictory and why she insists on withholding this piece of evidence. She might be worrying as there’re rulings which say that if there are conflicting findings among investigators, all doubts should be made in favor of the accused.
Philhealth Card Caravans
Determined to provide more health benefits especially to those living in the depressed communities, the Navotas government has put up caravans in its 14 villages to distribute Philhealth cards to the poor but qualified residents. Mayor John Rey Tiangco says the cards can be made available starting February 21 through the caravans that were put up in the barangays.
At present, there are more than 30,000 beneficiaries of the program which has been expanding over the years because of the Tiangco administration’s initiative to benefit more residents particularly those in the depressed areas. In putting up the caravans, Tiangco says this was primarily aimed at allowing residents especially those who couldn’t go to the City Hall to get their cards citing various reasons like lack of transportation fare and ailment, right in their respective barangays.
The same cards can be used by the city folks as soon as the new Navotas Hospital, built by the local government, becomes operational this year, the mayor says.