'Truth should be weaponized': Ex-Ombudsman blasts Senate bets tagged in corruption

MANILA - Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Monday criticized several senatorial candidates who "remain scot-free" despite being linked to corruption in the past.

Speaking before the 2nd Conference on Democracy and Disinformation, Morales said the outcome of the May 13 elections "may again be a manifestation of our people’s political literacy.

"I am reminded that among the frontrunners in the senatorial election are some ex-senators whom I would rather see faulted than elected,” the former Ombudsman said.

She also questioned why these former senators "remain scot-free and worse, qualified political candidates in spite of their mayhem to say the least.”

“The truth should be weaponized to the full extent to shaming these candidates and their enablers to prevent them from running if the wheels of justice seem derailed or too slow to catch them," she told the audience, composed of media practitioners, civil society and students.

Morales did not name names but among the senatorial race frontrunners are former senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, who were both jailed in connection with the P10 billion Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.