By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The Supreme Court should immediately intervene and resolve the impasse over the Office of the President’s suspension of Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Carandang.
This is according to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who issued a statement on Thursday, days after the Ombudsman said it would not enforce the Palace’s suspension order.
According to Drilon, if the Supreme Court does not do this, “there could be a constitutional crisis.”
“Ombudsman Morales and Carandang can file a petition in the Supreme Court to set aside Malacañang’s suspension order, and seek a temporary restraining order, on the ground it is contrary to the Supreme Court ruling in the Gonzales case, which voided the power of the President to discipline the Deputy Ombudsman,” Drilon said.
Senator Francis Escudero echoed Drilon’s statement.
He added that in the same manner, the Office of the Solicitor General could ask the High Court for relief.
The Palace suspended Carandang after he supposedly leaked false information on the President’s bank accounts.
The false information was used by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in his alleged exposé of Duterte and his family.