MANILA, Philippines – Ibinasura ng Korte Suprema ang dismissal mula sa serbisyo ni dating Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang kasunod ng pag-iimbestiga nito sa yaman ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
Sa 28 pahinang desisyon na isinapubliko nitong Sabado, Mayo 2, kinilala ng SC Third Division ang ruling ng Court of Appeals na nagbasura sa desisyon ng Office of the President ni Duterte “for lack of jurisdiction” na kumastigo kay Carandang.
Ibinasura rin ng SC ang desisyon ng Office of the President na may petsang Hulyo 30, 2018 na nakitang si Carandang ay administratively liable sa graft and corruption at betrayal of public trust, at pagsibak nito sa serbisyo.
Ibinasura rin nito ang kautusan noong Hunyo 14, 2019 ni dating Ombudsman Samuel Martires, na nag-utos “(p)ursuant to the Decision of the Office of the President,” at inatasan si Carandang na nag-aalis ng kapangyarihan at tungkulin nito sa pwesto.
Dahil dito, sinabi ng SC na “Carandang is entitled to all retirement benefits effective upon the expiration of his term. He is likewise entitled to receive the salaries corresponding to the period of his preventive suspension and dismissal, but only up to the end of his term.”
Ang desisyon ay tinintahan ni Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh, Associate Justices Benjamin Caguioa, Henri Jean Paul Inting, Samuel Gaerlan, at Japar Dimaampao. RNT/JGC
