By Genalyn Kabiling
Malacañang is leaving it up to the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate government officials dismissed by President Duterte for alleged corruption.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque recognized that the Ombudsman has a mandate to probe officials if they were really involved in graft practices.
“The Ombudsman should look into it because as I said the Ombudsman has the constitutional mandate to conduct preliminary investigation to determine if they should be charged in court for violating the anti-graft law,” Roque said during a Palace press briefing.
Roque acknowledged that there should be accountability of public servants even after being dismissed by the President.
In recent weeks, the President has carried out a firing spree of officials suspected to be involved in corruption and abuse of power.
The latest government official to be let go by the President was Cesar Montano, chief operating officer of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).