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Relampagos vs. Office of the Ombudsman

MARIO L. RELAMPAGOS, ROSARIO S. NUÑEZ, LALAINE N. PAULE, AND MARILOU D. BARE, PETITIONERS, VS. OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN, RESPONDENT. G.R. NOS. 230849-51 JANET LIM NAPOLES, PETITIONER, VS. CONCHITA CARPIO MORALES IN HER OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS OMBUDSMAN, PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AND SANDIGANBAYAN, SECOND DIVISION, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. Nos. 231161 and 231584 | 2022-12-07

D E C I S I O N
 
LEONEN, SAJ.:
 
The judicial policy of non-intervention with the Ombudsman's finding of probable cause can only be set aside upon a clear showing of grave abuse of discretion. Matters of defense and admissibility of evidence are irrelevant for purposes of preliminary investigation.

The consolidated Petitions for Certiorari were filed by Janet Lim Napoles (Napoles) and officers of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), namely Undersecretary for Operations Mario L. Relampagos, Chief Budget and Management Specialist Rosario S. Nuñez (Nuñez), and Administrative Assistants VI Lalaine N....