The Office of the Ombudsman said it shares the same advocacy as the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members rallying along EDSA in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, calling the situation a matter of miscommunication rather than conflict.
“Kung accountability po at transparency ang kanilang pinaglalaban, ‘yun din po ang aming pinaglalaban dito sa Office of the Ombudsman, na lahat ng nagkakamali ay mananagot sa batas,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said during a press briefing on Tuesday, June 30.
“Parehas po ang pinaglalaban po ng grupo na nandiyan sa EDSA at dito din sa Office of the Ombudsman,” he added.
Clavano said the rallyists’ placards centered on the call for accountability and transparency, the same battle cry he said the Ombudsman’s office has been pursuing through its investigations, including the cases involving former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“We understand the plight, we understand what they’re fighting for, but we ourselves are fighting for the same things,” he said.
When asked if the rally would deter the Ombudsman from filing the plunder case against Marcoleta, Clavano said the office’s mandate is to investigate and prosecute based on evidence, not to be swayed by public pressure.
“Is it our mandate to stop cases? Perhaps not. It is our mandate to investigate and prosecute cases. And once the evidence is there… our hands are quite tied here,” he said.
Clavano also relayed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla’s reaction upon learning of the rally, describing it as something expected given the nature of the office’s work.
“It’s par for the course,” Clavano quoted the Ombudsman as saying, adding that pressure comes with the territory of holding public officials accountable.
