‘Magnificent 7’ solons to file reso urging House to support Ombudsman

 Members of the Magnificent 7 bloc will file a resolution urging the House of Representatives to support the Office of the Ombudsman in its mandate to hold accountable public officials who may have committed misdemeanors.

This, after President Rodrigo Duterte said he would create a commission to investigate the anti-graft body for alleged partiality and corruption after it announced the start of its probe into the supposed multi-billion peso wealth of the President's family.

"The pronouncements made by the President undermines the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman guaranteed no less than by the Constitution," the resolution read.

In a taped television interview last Thursday, Duterte said he would create a commission to investigate the office and its personnel.

The pronouncement came after the Ombudsman said it has begun its probe into the supposed multi-billion peso wealth of the President and his family after it found Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's complaint with sufficient basis.

"The statement made by the President clearly aims to threaten and intimidate an independent constitutional body in order to divert attention and conceal the truth contained in the bank transaction records obtained by the Ombudsman," the resolution read.

"The tirades by the President aimed at the Office of the Ombudsman aims to discredit the Office of the Ombudsman, similar to what the President has done with the Chief Justice, the Commission on Human Rights, the Catholic church, the media, and other groups or institutions critical of the President's view," it added.

The Magnificent 7 said the House of Representatives, which is dominated by Duterte allies, should support the Office of the Ombudsman as it takes on its role to "safeguard our people from the excesses and abuses of those in power."

"The House of Representatives must also remind the Executive Department as well as other government institutions to honor the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman as it remains steadfast in its mandate of being a vanguard against corruption in the government," they added.

Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano said they are poised to file the resolution on Tuesday, pending signatures from all members of the Magnificent 7.

The Office of the Ombudsman has earlier said it would push through with its investigation despite threats from Duterte.