“Anong pakialam niya?”
This was Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales’ response to President Rodrigo Duterte saying that the police and the military to seek clearance from him first before appearing in investigations of the Ombudsman or the Commission on Human Rights.
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“Anong pakialam niya? Under the law, we have subpoena powers. We have orders for particular officials, including police and soldiers, to show up or to file pleadings. If they don’t file pleadings, that’s their lookout,” Morales told the media on the sidelines of an anti-corruption forum in Quezon City on July 28.
On July 25, Duterte said: “Everything has to go through me… Whoever you will investigate, you have to course it through me. You address it to the DILG… If I say do not allow yourself to be investigated, you will not allow yourself to be investigated.”
But Morales said the President does not need to give his approval in these cases.
“There is no law that requires a soldier or a policeman or any respondent for that matter to seek clearance from anybody,” she said. “To say they need prior approval of the President, that’s the lookout of those to whom he is addressing that.”
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Morales said that the complaints filed against military and police officials will push through, regardless of the extent of the respondents’ cooperation with the probe.
“Tuloy yung kaso if there is probable cause, irrespective if he answers or not. If there is probable cause on the basis of the evidence of the complainant, we will push though with the filing of the case in court. Kung walang probable cause, kahit ’di siya sumagot we will dismiss the case,” Morales said.
The “Anong pakialam niya?” clapback got the Twitter page AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) started in compiling more of Morales’ clapbacks on certain issues.
“Come boys and girl, Tita Conchita is serving freshly brewed tea,” the Twitter page said, along with a score favoring Morales over “Strongman” Duterte.
Come boys and girl, Tita Conchita is serving freshly brewed tea. ☕️
SCORE UPDATE:
Ombudsman – +1
*Strongman* – 0 pic.twitter.com/da9fYAPyDX— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 28, 2017
This was followed with another photo of Morales with the accompanying words, “It’s ok. I don’t care,” which was the Ombudsman’s response to not being invited to Duterte’s second SONA.
The Twitter page then called Morales the “Ombudsman of Clapbacks.”
Asked why she did not attend the SONA, Morales told reporters: “I was not invited. It’s okay. I don’t care.”
“I was not invited last year, I don’t expect to be invited this year. If there’s a party or event for which you are not invited and you know [that] your friends are invited, I’m not sensitive about it,” she added.
When asked for her reaction on not being invited to #SONA2017 , the Ombudsman of Clapbacks had this cheeky response: pic.twitter.com/3NBrVYmnwO
— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 28, 2017
AltAsecMargauxUson also lauded Morales’ response to lawmakers’ threat to impeach her.
Unfazed by the threats from the administration’s allies in Congress, Morales only had one thing to say to them: “Go on, baby.”
On December 13, 2016, during the Meet the Inquirer forum, Morales said she also heard the rumors of impeachment against her.
“Yes I have, and I don’t think there is any interference,” she said, adding that she did not consider such moves as interference from the President.
The feisty Ombudsman said that she is not scared of such plans against her.
“If they intend to scare me, I’m sorry. They’re disappointed. I can always resign if I wish but not under the circumstances,” Morales said.
“After five years, I’ve learned to enjoy the challenge this job provides. If they wish to impeach me, go on baby, you’re free to do that,” she added.
When upstart congressmen threatened to impeach her, our sassy Ombudsman had a swift and sweet retort:
☕️RESIBO: https://t.co/3ZumJmQYVA … pic.twitter.com/HhwXumqnKu
— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 28, 2017
When losing senatorial candidate Greco Belgica threatened to disbar her, this was her response: “Wish them luck. I’ll face them head on, anytime, anywhere.”
Morales added in a statement on March 24 that “everyone is at liberty to file a complaint.”
“Being charged is part of the territory. I am ready to meet head-on any complaint, anytime, anywhere,” she said.
When Greco Belgica et al tried to disbar her at the SC, she sent a raven with the following message:
☕️RESIBO: https://t.co/OBasdJXwed pic.twitter.com/InFApGevru
— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 28, 2017
But AltAsecMargauxUson did not stop there. The page also compiled two more excerpts from her previous speeches, one where she said she does not have “energy gap” and the other where she emphasized that she is apolitical.
It appears nobody can stop Tita Conchita.
WATCH: https://t.co/nb0gzBnfCe pic.twitter.com/9ju7Yad0x1
— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 30, 2017
It's best not to piss her off either, lest she bring down the wrath of seven hells: pic.twitter.com/mRVrRLBLoU
— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 30, 2017
The Alt Twitter page even celebrated how the Ombudsman Twitter page liked one of the tweets in this series of tweets.
Heyyy guyyys, STOP EVERYTHING! @OmbudsmanPh liked our tweets. Tita Conchita is with us right now. Aykennat! pic.twitter.com/a928IkTPyC
— AltAsecMargauxUson (@AsecMargauxUson) July 28, 2017
aside from AltAsecMargauxUson, the parody page Superficial Gazette also made their tribute to Morales, with reference to the popular TV series Game of Thrones.
Sorry, #PresidentDuterte, but this Tita Conchita won't be taking any sacking.
No spoilers! #SuperficialGazette #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/6K2NHS1DWA
— Superficial Gazette (@SuperficialGZT) August 1, 2017
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