Probe of budget graft suit halted

THE OMBUDSMAN has stopped its probe on a suit accusing key leaders of the House of Representatives, including Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, of falsifying legislative documents and graft, as a similar case is under Supreme Court review.

In a nine-page resolution dated March 7, Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires suspended further criminal investigation on the complaint filed by Duterte allies against the House leadership while junking a separate motion seeking their suspension.

“In the wink of an eye, common sense will remind any student of the law that judicial courtesy dictates that the quasi-judicial body should, and must yield and await the decision of the High Tribunal before acting on the case pending before it,” a part of the ruling by Mr. Martires stated.

A complaint was filed last month accusing House leaders of falsifying documents and committing graft over alleged P241-billion insertions in this year’s national budget. A similar challenge was raised with the Supreme Court, accusing the bicameral conference committee of submitting a budget with blank line items.

“The alleged criminal liability of respondents Romualdez, et al., that is raised in the herein Complaint, refers also to the same blank line items in the Bicam Report that is the subject of the petition for Certiorari and Prohibition,” the resolution stated.

“If the Supreme Court declares RA No. 12116 unconstitutional and finds illegal the alleged insertions of P241 billion, then the Ombudsman shall correspondingly act on the criminal complaint,” it added. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio