THE Ombudsman is supposedly exerting undue pressure on the Commission on Audit to release and submit an incomplete special audit report on Makati City Hall Building 2 in a bid to derail the candidacy of opposition presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay.
But in stark contrast, UNA president Toby Tiangco said Saturday, the COA and Ombudsman were “pussyfooting” on its reports on the Priority Development Assistance Fund and the Disbursement Acceleration Program of the Aquino administration.
“We have been informed that the Ombudsman has been personally calling up COA officials telling them to transmit to her office its special audit report on Makati Building 2 even if the report does not include the replies or comments of City Hall officials.
“The Ombudsman, on the other hand, is sitting on its hand and has failed to even consider taking action against those involved in the DAP scandal which has been declared unlawful and unconstitutional by the Supreme Court,” Tiangco said.
He said at least 38 members of the ruling Liberal Party were implicated in the PDAF scam.
“But until now, the COA has not finished its report because many LP members of other allies of the administration will be implicated,” Tiangco said.
“In the case of DAP, where the Supreme Court already made a ruling of bad faith on the part of [Budget[ Secretary [Florencio] Abad, there is no COA referral to the Ombudsman,” Tiangco lamented.
“In so doing, the Ombudsman wants COA to effectively discard the findings of 11 audits, including one conducted by technical specialists, which concluded there was no overpricing and that the said project complied with COA regulations,” he added.
Tiangco said the COA would violate its own policy that no special audits should be done against candidates running for the May elections.
“It will also be in direct contravention of COA Resolution 2015-033, dated Sept. 29, 2015, prohibiting the conduct of special audit against candidates of the 2016 elections,” he explained.
Quoting COA insiders, Tiangco said Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales personally called up a ranking COA official prior to her trip abroad demanding that the audit report be released immediately.
Tiangco said these acts bolster UNA’s claim that Morales has displayed blatant partiality when handling complaints involving the Vice President and members of his family.
“The Ombudsman represents an administration that has a track record of flouting the law and the Constitution in bringing down its political enemies while ignoring, aiding and abetting unlawful acts of its partymates and allies,” he said.
Tiangco said he is no longer surprised that the Ombudsman is intent on releasing the incomplete report, which will be used to file plunder charges against the Vice President after his term and son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.
“While there is no justification or excuse for behavior like this, it is no longer surprising. When it involves Vice President Binay and his family, the Ombudsman is very fast even if she is breaking the law and her own rules,” he said.
“We are no longer surprised at similar moves of the Ombudsman. It clearly shows that they are in cahoots with those who are out to destroy Vice President Binay in order to stop his pro-poor programs,” Tiangco added.
Binay filed a P200-million damage suit against Morales and 12 others for repeatedly spreading allegations of plunder, graft and corruption, and other illegal activities against him based on unverified and even fabricated sources, and despite the fact these have not been proven in court.