DEPUTY Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union is asking the House Committee on Justice to consider inviting former Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang to testify as a resource person in its ongoing deliberations on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, particularly on issues involving Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and alleged unexplained wealth.
“Former Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang was directly involved in high-level investigations that required examining bank transaction records, including those obtained from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) in connection with the financial transactions of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and accounts reportedly linked to members of his family, including VP Sara,” Ortega said.
“His experience in handling those kinds of financial documents can help the committee better understand how investigators evaluate bank records alongside SALN disclosures,” he added.
Carandang served as Overall Deputy Ombudsman from 2013 to 2019 and was among the senior officials overseeing major corruption investigations at the Office of the Ombudsman.
He drew national attention in 2017 after confirming that the Ombudsman had obtained bank transaction records from the AMLC as part of an investigation into a plunder complaint filed by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV against then-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and members of his family.
The disclosure triggered a political controversy and led to administrative complaints accusing Carandang of revealing confidential bank information.
Malacañang later ordered his dismissal from service in 2018 for alleged misconduct and violation of confidentiality rules, a decision that was affirmed with finality by the Office of the President in 2019.
Ortega, an endorser of the fourth impeachment complaint against the vice president, said expert testimony from officials who have handled high-level corruption investigations would strengthen the committee’s fact-finding work.
“Financial investigations are technical. They involve examining asset declarations, financial documents and bank records. The committee can benefit from the expertise of an experienced investigator in evaluating such evidence,” he stated.
The fourth complaint, one of the two remaining impeachment complaints against Duterte, raises allegations of graft and corruption, bribery, procurement irregularities, unexplained wealth, and omissions or misdeclarations in her SALN.
The House Committee on Justice earlier found the third and fourth impeachment complaints sufficient in form and substance, allowing the proceedings to move forward under the House rules on impeachment.
Following the ruling, the committee directed the vice president to file her verified answer to the complaints and furnish copies to the complainants within the period prescribed by the rules.
Upon receipt of her answer, the panel will proceed to the determination of probable cause, where members will evaluate the evidence and arguments presented by both sides before deciding whether the complaints should be endorsed to the House plenary for further action.
