MANILA- Opposition lawmaker Edcel Lagman has alleged that President Rodrigo Duterte is behind the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and the threatened investigation of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

Lagman on Tuesday said the actions allegedly under the orders of Duterte are attempts to ruin democratic institutions.

“Both apparently at the behest of President Rodrigo Duterte are dubious and malevolent attempts to wreck democratic institutions. The constitutionally-guaranteed independence of the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman is under siege without legitimate anchorage," he said.

The Albay representative said the planned investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman by a commission to be created by Duterte endangers the independence of the anti-graft body while the ouster complaint against Sereno is only a compendium of hearsay reports and that the grounds of the complaint “do not constitute impeachable offenses.”

"With the impending destruction of democratic institutions even as Duterte already has full control of the Congress, the military and police establishments, and the bureaucracy, an authoritarian rule can be a harsh eventuality," Lagman said.

But Malacañang on Tuesday said there is also a “deliberate effort” to discredit Duterte as it rejected the Office of the Ombudsman’s claim that it observed confidentiality in investigating his and his family's alleged wealth.

“The Office of the Ombudsman was being economical with the truth when it said it has observed confidentiality in its investigation of the graft complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte,” Abella said in a news conference in Malacañang.

Abella said the anti-graft body's recent actions confirm “that there is indeed a deliberate effort to discredit the President, mislead the public, and to create popular outrage against the duly elected Chief Executive."

Last week, the President dared both Morales and Sereno to resign with him amid an ongoing investigation into his and his family’s wealth, accusing the two officials of corruption.

Lagman's bloc has been circulating a resolution authored by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano expressing their support for Morales, Over All Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Carandang and the office.

THE PRESIDENT CAN PROBE

Lagman however conceded that Duterte is empowered to investigate officials of the Office of the Ombudsman except for the Ombudsman herself.

Morales and Duterte can both only be removed by impeachment.

“If there are errant officials below the Ombudsman, they can be investigated and cases can be filed against them by any complainant…” he said, noting that the investigation should not be used to undermine the anti-graft body.

Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin meanwhile said the President should not be scared of the Ombudsman investigation if he has nothing to hide.

“Kung wala tinatago si President Duterte wala sila dapat kinakatakutan, ‘di niyo ‘to dapat harangan. Palaging nauulit itong isyu [na] ito na meron siyang milyong-milyong bank deposits,” he said.

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