The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday defended its decision to enlist the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to verify the identities of 18 individuals who claimed to be former Marines and exposed an alleged cash delivery scheme.
The move came after lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, counsel for former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor, accused the Ombudsman of allowing the executive branch to influence its probe by involving the NBI.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano clarified that the agency’s actions were meant to ensure credibility.
“The Office of the Ombudsman has done two things in relation to this case. First, we have deputized the NBI to verify the identities and background of the affiants especially since there have been conflicting reports on who they are and where they used to serve,” he said.
“Second, the Office has sent a letter request to Atty. [Levito] Baligod to produce 18 separate affidavits lining out the narration of facts from the perspective of each person so as to produce a more accurate and credible narration of facts. As the Ombudsman has mentioned, a joint narration of facts loses credibility,” Clavano added.
He explained that the agency has yet to decide on the credibility of the group’s allegations.
“It is only upon evaluation that it was found that there were 18 people that signed one affidavit. The contents may be true but the credibility will be strengthened when each one narrates the fact from their own unique perspective,” Clavano noted.