Morales shrugs off Arroyo Speakership, says probe on misuse of PCSO funds to continue
OUTGOING Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales was indifferent to Pampanga second district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s new position as Speaker of the House of Representatives and said that another case that had been filed against her for the alleged misuse of state charity intelligence funds should continue even after her retirement at the end of July.
Arroyo replaced First District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte who was ousted on Monday ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Well nothing is permanent. So, that was the choice of the majority of the congressmen to have a new leader,” Morales said in what could be her final press conference on Tuesday before her term ends at the end of July.
“I was dedma (I was indifferent). I mean, you know, that’s the pleasure of the members of Congress to elect her as speaker so I did not feel anything,” she said when pressed.
The Office of the Ombudsman disclosed that it was investigating the alleged misuse of intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from 2004 to 2007 under Arroyo when she was president following another complaint that was filed against her.
“I don’t think the position of a particular respondent has something to do with whether the office can determine her guilt or not. Kung Speaker siya and meron siyang case which involves criminal and administrative adjudication, I think the case can go on,” she said.
It was also during Morales’ term that the Office of the Ombudsman filed a P366-million plunder case against Arroyo and other individuals before the Sandiganbayan in 2012 over the alleged misuse of PCSO funds.
The Pampanga lawmaker was placed on hospital arrest and released in July 2016 after the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed the case — which covered the years 2008 to 2010 — for insufficiency evidence. REINA TOLENTINO
The post Morales shrugs off Arroyo Speakership, says probe on misuse of PCSO funds to continue appeared first on The Manila Times Online.