Ex-ombudsman questions qualification of Carpio-Morales

MANILA, Philippines -  Former ombudsman Aniano Desierto has expressed reservations over the possibility of retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales being named the next ombudsman.

Desierto cited her age, saying Carpio-Morales might not stand the pressure and rigors of working as the ombudsman, which he said requires a workload “10 times more than that of a Supreme Court (SC) justice.”

Desierto urged President Aquino to consider appointing “younger blood” as ombudsman.

“We need a much younger ombudsman – perhaps someone 50 to 60 years of age who can still be active and strong. Someone 70 and up might not cope with demands of that job,” Desierto said.

Desierto said the job of ombudsman is difficult.

“I should know... I had been there for seven years,” he said.

To elaborate, he recalled inheriting a record number of pending cases from his predecessor, the first ombudsman and retired SC justice Conrado Vasquez Sr.

“With all due respect, I succeeded Ombudsman Vasquez with 30,000 cases. I honestly believe that younger blood must run the Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.

The President’s late mother, former President Corazon Aquino, appointed Vasquez.

Justice Morales will retire from the bench on June 19 when she becomes 70 years old. She is among the candidates for the post of ombudsman following the resignation of Merceditas Gutierrez.

“I don’t think she can deliver, especially being a woman – you know women (are emotional). It is better for Justice Morales to retire,” Desierto said.

He said the job of the ombudsman is also prone to attacks and could also be life-threatening. 

Desierto said he was almost killed in an ambush and had survived several impeachment attempts.

Still, he was able to finish his seven-year term in office from 1995 to 2002 – unlike his two successors Simeon Marcelo and Gutierrez.

Marcelo resigned in 2005 for health reasons while Gutierrez stepped down earlier this month before her impeachment trial in the Senate. Desierto though did not confirm if he would submit this position before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which vets candidates for ombudsman.

The JBC is set to publish this week the initial list of qualified bets and invite the public to submit their support or objections to any of the nominees.

Justice Morales is the magistrate who penned the SC ruling that paved the way for the impeachment of Gutierrez in the House of Representatives.

She was handpicked by the President to administer his inaugural oath last year.

Last week, Morales accepted her nomination to the ombudsman post after being nominated by the UP Law Alumni Association, Transparency International Phils. and Women Lawyers Association of the Philippines Inc.

It was reported earlier that Aquino had offered the ombudsman post to Morales in an earlier occasion they had attended with retired chief justice Artemio Panganiban.

Sources said Aquino personally wrote Morales if she is interested in becoming the next ombudsman. 

Morales, according to the source, sent the President a reply note: “If Chief Justice Panganiban will endorse me.”

Morales, who is set to retire from the judiciary next month, joined 26 others who accepted their nominations to the post in the JBC’s initial list of candidates for ombudsman.

Also in the initial list are De La Salle law dean and Free Legal Assistance Group chair Jose Manuel Diokno and Alternative Law Group chief Marlon Manuel.

The other nominees include acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro, Justice Undersecretary Leah Armamento, former justice undersecretary Jose Calida, former solicitor general Francisco Chavez, former ambassador Roy Señeres, former justice secretary Artemio Tuquero, Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol and Ombudsman prosecutor Wilbert Candelaria.

Other candidates include Court of Appeals Executive Justice for the Visayas Portia Alino-Hormachuelos, human rights lawyer Arno Sanidad, law professor Francis Jardeleza, Judge Amelia Infante, lawyers Alfredo Agawa, Pedro Aquino, Hubert Guevarra, Florencio Villarin and Ernesto Francisco.

Former chief justice Reynato Puno and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima were earlier nominated to the post, but both turned down their nomination.