Morales: ‘I am apolitical, I do not take sides’

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales in a senate hearing. (Photo from Morales’ Facebook Page)

MANILA — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales dared his critics to impeach her if she erred in ruling to preventively suspend Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr.

“You always question me. So if you feel that I am impeachable because I have done wrong, do so.

I welcome it. I don’t have to be impeached. I will give my position on a silver platter. I’m really angry,” Morales said in a news conference.

“The Ombudsman never did anything right,” she said. “Every time I file a case you say it’s politically motivated.

I am apolitical. I do not take sides.”

Morales reacted in a rare public outburst when asked if she was pressured by the Liberal Party to suspend Binay.

“We go by the evidence. You cannot be pressured. Otherwise, I have no reason for being here if I allow myself to be pressured by anyone. That is not true,” she said.

She added that she could have spared Purisima from dismissal if she was indeed selective.

“That’s the best argument against selective justice,” she said. “If it’s true that allies of the President are not charged, then I should have spared Purisima and sat on his case. But the investigation is finished so what do I do? Wait till doomsday?”

The Ombudsman released a second preventive suspension order against Binay and 14 officials for their involvement in the construction of the Makati City Science High School Building.

A suspension order was also released on March 11 for Binay’s alleged involvement in the irregularities in the Makati City Hall carpark construction project.

The Court of Appeals however issued a temporary restraining order on the first suspension order.