Dismissal was ‘right penalty’ for Ombudsman Carandang, Palace asserts

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Carandang had clearly used his position to destroy the name of the President by using fake report. (File photo: YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday said Deputy Overall Ombudsman Melchor Carandang is worthy of dismissal from service after he used rumor to destroy President Rodrigo Duterte and his family.

“I think the dismissal was the right penalty,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview over state-run Radyo Pilipinas.

Last Wednesday, the Office of the President has released the dismissal order against Carandang for graft and corruption and betrayal of public trust.

Roque, a lawyer, said Carandang has been given appropriate opportunity to answer the administrative complaints filed against him for alleging that Duterte and his family have accumulated ill-gotten wealth amounting to billions of pesos.

“What he did was very clear. He revealed a fake report, (a report) which the Anti-Money Laundering has claimed was not true,” Roque said.

“He revealed it to the public even as the law provides that the investigation of Anti-Money Laundering should be confidential,” he added.

He said Carandang had clearly used his position to destroy the name of the President by using fake report.

“It is only proper to slap him with this right punishment,” Roque said.

When asked if Carandang should be disbarred as lawyer, Roque said it would be up to the Supreme Court to decide.

“It has prejudice. It can happen but it is the Supreme Court that disbar lawyer and not the Office of the President,” he explained.