Malacañang has sustained the dismissal of Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday.
“His [Carandang’s] MR [motion for reconsideration] has been denied,” Guevarra said in an interview.
“The order was signed by ES [Executive Secretary Salvador] Medialdea.”
The Palace dismissed Carandang last year due to his 2017 disclosure of President Rodrigo Duterte’s bank transactions that he claimed had reached P1 billion without the authority of the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
Carandang was also slapped with accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, barred him from taking civil service examinations and made him perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
The decision arose from the administrative complaints separately filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, Labor Undersecretary Jacinto Paras and former Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong.
The decision said Carandang was only interested in broadcasting information adverse to the President.
“His keeping mum about information that was favorable to the President clearly amounted to manifest partiality,” the decision said.
It also found Carandang liable for giving any party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.
The Overall Deputy Ombudsman was also found to have violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees on disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information “to give undue advantage to Senator Antonio Trillanes.”
“The transgressions of respondent Carandang constitute Graft and Corruption, as well as Betrayal of Public Trust, which gravely affect his fitness to remain in public office,” the decision said.
