Carpio-Morales is new Ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III announced in his second State of the Nation Address today that he is appointing former Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales as the new Ombudsman.

During his yearly State of the Nation Address (SONA) before Congress, the President said Morales will be the one to go after unscrupulous government officials.

He announced Morales’s appointment as new Ombudsman after citing the more than P1 billion allotment of the former leadership of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation for coffee.

"Magkakaroon tayo ng tanod-bayan na hindi magiging tanod-bayad ng mga nagwawang-wang sa pamahalaan. Inaasahan ko nga po na sa taon na ito, masasampahan na ng kaso ang lahat ng nagkuntsabahan sa katiwalian, at naging sanhi ng situwasyong ating inabutan," President Aquino said, with the delight of the audience at the Batasang Pambansa session hall.

Morales will take over the post vacated by resigned Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Gutierrez resigned the Office of the Ombudsman in the height of complaints against her for the alleged questionable decisions in graft cases involving former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Malacañang expects the newly-appointed Ombudsman, former Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales to go hard on the corrupt government officials and aggressively pursue the cases against them.

"We have consistently emphasized the need to have an Ombudsman who shall act for and in the interest of the Filipino people, one who shall not let Garcias and Bolantes go scot free without answering to the people," a Palace statement said.

Former military comptroller Carlos Garcia and ex-Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Jocjoc" Bolante have been sued before the Office of the Ombudsman.

However, the graft charges against them were watered down during the time Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez who resigned amid the complaints against for allegedly mishandling the two government officials' cases.

Malacañang also said the President appointed Carpio because of her "integrity" and impartiality".

"An Ombudsman must be independent, one of unquestionable integrity, and willing to face the rigorous task of restoring faith in our recovering institutions by ensuring that the corrupt are held accountable for their misdeeds.

"Guided by these, President Aquino has appointed Conchita Carpio-Morales as the new Ombudsman. A native of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, she brings with her 42 years of solid legal experience in the executive and judiciary, with special interests in anti-corruption and human rights. Her integrity and impartiality are evident from her years as Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeals and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court," the Palace said.