Ombudsman questions Natthawut's ethics
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Deputy Agriculture Minister Natthawut Saikua was forced to face his past when the Office of the Ombudsman questioned him about his ethics and whether they allowed him to participate in the 2010 red-shirt protests.
Meanwhile, his opponents have been demanding that he quit the Cabinet, while his supporters insist that his role in the street protests have no bearing on his qualifications.
Pheu Thai MP Korkaew Pikulthong stepped forward yesterday to defend Natthawut, saying the Ombudsman was unfairly drawing conclusions before he could be proven guilty.
“The Constitution’s Article 39 clearly stipulates the presumption of innocence and Natthawut has not been convicted of any wrongdoing,” he said.
Korkaew said Natthawut was an advocate of democracy and the terrorism charge against him was trumped up. He said the Ombudsman should have upheld Article 39 instead of questioning Natthawut on his ethics, he said.
In the report to be submitted to Parliament, the Ombudsman says the prime minister neglected to review whether Natthawut had complied with the code of ethics before including him in the Cabinet line-up.
The Ombudsman is of the opinion that Natthawut might have violated the code of ethics for office holders because of the Civil Court verdict on his involvement in agitating crowds beyond a peaceful rally as sanctioned by the Constitution. Natthawut was indicted and is being tried for terrorism.
Meanwhile, Senator Pichet Sunthornpipit, in his capacity as chairman of the Senate committee on ethics, said his panel had no jurisdiction over the Natthawut case. However, he said, the House committee on ethics would review the Ombudsman’s report because of Natthawut’s MP status.
He said he personally believed that the House code of ethics should be enforced when a person becomes an MP and not before he is elected to office.
Yet Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said the Ombudsman’s report was clear: Natthawut was unfit to hold a ministerial portfolio.
“He should be removed from the Cabinet,” Chavanond said, adding that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should pay heed to the Ombudsman when screening ministers for her next Cabinet reshuffle.
