- The Ombudsman said that UNA lied when it claimed that COA was pressured to release an “incomplete” report against VP Binay
- The watchdog said that Binay’s camp asked the COA to delay the report until after the polls
- Ombudsman Morales intends to file charges against VP Binay but could not do so since the latter is an impeachable official
The Office of the Ombudsman has defended itself from the claims of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) that the government watchdog has pressured the Commission on Audit (COA) to release an “incomplete” report on the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II; saying that UNA is actually reversing the truth.
In an article written by Xianne Arcangel for GMA News Online on March 6, it was disclosed that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has released an official statement to clarify the matter to the public; which has placed the agency in a bad light.
“The press release from UNA is a lie. It was the COA that advised the Office of the Ombudsman months ago that the report was ready and that a copy will be transmitted to the Office by the end of January 2016,” the statement read.
Morales said that it was the camp of former Makati City Mayor and now Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay who asked the COA to delay the release of the report until after the local and national elections on May 9 as it may pose an effect on his presidential bid.
Last year, the Ombudsman had intended to file graft and falsification charges against Binay for his alleged involvement in the anomalous transactions concerning the construction of the building but was not able to pursue the case since the vice president is an impeachable official who may not be tried on matters filed in a local court.
Instead, the agency has only pursued the filing of cases against 23 other local government officials, including dismissed Makati Mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Binay, who was a city councilor during the course of the project.
Recently, the lawyer of the younger Binay said that Junjun will testify against the cases filed against them to prove that the charges have no basis.
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