MANILA - Malacañang is obstructing justice by suspending Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang, who is leading an investigation into the wealth of President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Thursday.

"Maling-mali si Duterte dito, kahit saan mo tignan. Bukod pa sa independent ang Ombudsman and her deputies, ayon sa ating Constitution, pinasuspende nya ang taong nag-iimbestiga sa mga nakaw na yaman niya," the opposition lawmaker said in a statement.

"Maliwanag na obstruction of justice din yan."

(Duterte is wrong here, no matter how you look at it. Aside from the Ombudsman and her deputies being independent according to our Constitution, he suspended an investigator of his [alleged] stolen wealth. That is clearly obstruction of justice.)

Malacañang on Monday revealed it has filed an administrative case against Carandang for grave misconduct and grave dishonesty for his supposed illegal disclosure of the President and his family’s bank transactions.

Carandang has also been placed under 90 days preventive suspension.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, however, said her office would not implement Carandang's suspension.

• Ombudsman defies Palace, won't enforce Carandang suspension

Carandang, in a previous interview, had said the Office of the Ombudsman received the Dutertes' bank transaction records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) as part of its investigation into the first family's alleged wealth.

The AMLC later said it did not provide such records to the Ombudsman.

Trillanes also said he will lodge a complaint against AMLC executive director Mel Georgie Racela for participating in an alleged "cover-up."

The documents that Carandang had referred to were mentioned in the minutes of an AMLC meeting in May 2016 and was part of an agreement with the Ombudsman to provide such documents for intelligence purposes, the senator said.

He also noted that Racela is an appointee of Duterte.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Wednesday that the decision to charge and suspend Carandang was regular, and that the latter may seek court relief if he wants to.

• Palace stands by suspension of Deputy Ombudsman