Conchita Carpio-Morales: 'Probes still pending vs Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo'

MANILA, Philippines — Newly elected Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still under investigation for plunder in connection with her alleged misuse of intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) when she was still president.

Outgoing Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales confirmed this yesterday to The STAR on the sidelines of her last press briefing. She officially retires today after completing a seven-year term.

“Yes, it’s still under investigation,” Morales said, referring to Arroyo’s alleged plunder of PCSO intelligence funds. “But nothing has been turned over to me (by the investigators) as of today.”

President Duterte has yet to name her successor.

It was in July 2016 when Morales first revealed to the media that Arroyo is undergoing a preliminary investigation over another complaint in connection with the alleged misuse of the PCSO’s confidential intelligence fund (CIF).

The complaint covers CIF amounting to P57 million allegedly disbursed from 2004 to 2007.

A highly placed source in the ombudsman yesterday confirmed that the complaint, docketed as OMB-C-C-16-0180, has remained under preliminary investigation since 2016. A complaint under preliminary investigation has passed the fact-finding stage with sufficient evidence gathered by the field investigators to warrant a formal investigation.

Under the ombudsman procedure, it is during the preliminary investigation stage where respondents are notified of a complaint and given a chance to file counter-affidavit or counter evidence.

On July 19, 2016, the Supreme Court – in a vote of 11-4 – dismissed a separate plunder case filed by the ombudsman against Arroyo before the Sandiganbayan in 2012. The case stemmed from alleged misuse of P366 million in CIF of the PCSO from 2008 to 2010 during Arroyo’s term as president.

Arroyo had been under hospital and later house detention for nearly four years before the high tribunal dismissed the case on the ground of the prosecution’s “insufficient evidence” and its failure to identify the main plunderer in the case.

In a text message sent to The STAR yesterday, the congresswoman’s lawyer Laurence Arroyo (no relation) slammed the pending case as “baseless, that should have been dismissed a long time ago.”

The lawyer said the former president submitted her counter-affidavit two years ago but the ombudsman has yet to resolve the case.

“This second case, which the (ombudsman) Field Investigation Office should have included in the first case but did not, covers the period 2004-2007. The ombudsman conducted a preliminary investigation of this second case after PGMA (President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) was acquitted in the first case,” he said. “The period covered by this second case took place more than 10 years ago. Why look into it only after the dismissal of the first plunder case?” Arroyo said.

“The second complaint alleges that PGMA gave her ‘OK’ to the use of intelligence funds. That is all. That is not a crime, as already held by the Supreme Court. This case should have been dismissed long ago. It is a patently baseless case,” he added.

On Monday, Arroyo was elected speaker by 184 of the 292 members of the House of Representatives ousting Davao Del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

The change of leadership took place just hours before Duterte delivered his third State of the National Address (SONA) at the House’s plenary hall at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City. The House formalized Arroyo’s election right after Duterte’s SONA.

Asked for her reaction to Arroyo’s rise to the speakership, Morales said, “I was deadma (nonchalant). 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 stressed Arroyo’s new position as Speaker will not have any bearing on her pending case with the ombudsman.

“I don’t think the position of a particular respondent has something to do with whether the office can determine her guilt or not. If she’s Speaker and has a pending case which involves criminal and administrative adjudication, I think the case can go on,” Morales said.

A militant peasant group, meanwhile, has decried Arroyo’s assuming the speakership post despite the string of corruption issues involving her.

“Let us not forget the ‘Hello, Garci’ scandal, the fertilizer fund and Malampaya fund scams, the massive corruption in the government and political killings that happened under Arroyo’s term,” said Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chairman emeritus Rafael Mariano.

“Now that Arroyo is the new House speaker, all of President Duterte’s empty talk of battling corruption was instantly exposed,” he added.

“The atmosphere inside the Congress session hall and the body language of legislators who installed Pampanga congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as House speaker in the midst of the SONA ceremonies (on Monday), clearly show that Congress can bend the rules to their favor and advantage,” he pointed out.

“Installing former PGMA as the fourth highest and most powerful official of the government is not amusing at all. It’s a very bad throwback. The Marcoses, Arroyo are all being politically resurrected under the Duterte administration. It’s a very sinister reunion of the Filipino peoples’ enemies,” he maintained.

With the development, Mariano said the public should now be more vigilant against possible machinations at the House of Representatives.

“Congress is concocting Charter change and federalism. With Gloria as the new House leader, blinking is not allowed. Baka mailusot nila lahat ng mga masasamang patakaran at polisiya sa Kongreso (They might be able to pass all the devious rules and policies of Congress),” he warned. “Arroyo’s political resurrection will hasten Duterte’s isolation from the people.” Rhodina Villanueva