The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday refuted allegations that it is out to boot Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio from his post. It also denied Villa-Ignacio's earlier claims that Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is planning to ease him out amid complaints being received by her office against him.

"No truth that the Ombudsman wants him out. What is happening is the Ombudsman is receiving lots of complaints against him," said Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni.

Jalandoni admitted that the relationship between Villa-Ignacio and Gutierrez has been affected by issues. He, however, said that while there is indeed a gap between the two, he hopes that it would be resolved soon.

"Even brothers fight...but I guess it will be resolved one way or another," he said.

Jalandoni likewise denied reports that the morale of employees is low under Gutierrez's helm.

In fact, he cited the manifesto issued by the agency's employees nationwide saying they are solidly behind Gutierrez.

Meanwhile, the co-worker who filed an estafa complaint against Villa-Ignacio surfaced on Monday.

Elvira Chua filed charges against Villa-Ignacio last month for her P26,000-donation that was intended to build deep wells for victims of typhoon Milenyo in 2006.

"I felt aggrieved by his office...I charged him with estafa because I donated the amount for typhoon victims," she said.

Chua said the filed a motion for resolution of the case after Villa-Ignacio failed to submit a counter-claim.

Question on case premise

Villa-Ignacio, meanwhile, denied Chua's claims.

The special prosecutor questioned the premise behind Chua's charges.

He said that it would be impossible to charge him for estafa since the P26,000 gathered by his office was eventually given to typhoon victims too.

He said that his office had difficulties in obtaining the services of a deep well contractor and was given to socio-civic group Gawad Kalinga instead. He said that the donation was covered by a receipt.

"The charges stemmed from my alleged failure to give the funds to build deep wells, but the purpose was achieved to help the victims of the typhoon in Quezon," Villa-Ignacio said.

Villa-Ignacio said the estafa charges are part of a smear campaign against him.

"They want me out and they want their people to be here cause I've always shown independence," he said.

He said the demolition job may have been rooted in his statements against the pardon that Malacañang gave to former president Joseph Estrada in September 2007. Villa-Ignacio was the lead prosecutor in the plunder case against the former president.

As a result of Villa-Ignacio's statements against the pardon, Gutierrez issued a memorandum in June this year that barred officials and employees of the Ombudsman from granting interviews without her permission.

Villa-Ignacio, however, said he does not agree with Gutierrez's directive.

""They can't prohibit me from airing my side on very malicious charges against me," he said.

He added that he is not afraid of being suspended. With Sheryll Mundo and Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN News