Ombudsman defies Malacañang order

OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio-Morales has vowed not to enforce the Malacañang order to suspend her deputy, saying the order was a clear affront to the Supreme Court and the constitution, as well as a violation of the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Morales, a retired Supreme Court associate justice who was appointed Ombudsman in 2011, said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the high tribunal had already declared that the Office of the President’s administrative disciplinary jurisdiction did not apply to her office.