House body to decide Tuesday on impeachment complaint vs ombudsman

07 March 2011 06:41:31 PM

Writer: L. Castillo / J. Camero / I. Yambot, MRS-PRIB
The House Committee on Justice will vote on Tuesday if the impeachment complaint
against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has probable cause.
Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. (5th District, Iloilo), chair of the House body, said the pr
oceedings will push through to determine if there is probable cause based on the
evidences which were presented by the complainants against Gutierrez.
"If the Ombudsman will appear on Tuesday, we will be very liberal with her. If s
he appears personally then she will be given a chance to present her case. If no
t then we will vote on the determination of probable cause," Tupas said.
Tupas said Gutierrez will lose her rights to defend herself if she will not appe
ar during the proceedings tomorrow.
This developed as lawmakers brushed aside charges of Gutierrez that the impeachm
ent proceeding is a farce and a "moro-moro".
Tupas disputed the charges of Gutierrez that the whole proceeding is a "moro-mor
o" and a political move to remove her (Gutierrez) from office.
"The charge is uncalled for because she was represented by her lawyers during th
e proceedings and she submitted her answers to the complaints which were hurled
against her before the body," Tupas said.
Rep. Teddy Casiño (Party-list, Bayan Muna) said even if the Ombudsman will not att
end the proceedings, the body will decide on the issue of probable cause.
"It is her fault. We already bent backwards to accommodate her during the procee
dings. That is her choice. Anyway she will have her day in court in the Senate,"
Casiño said.
Rep. Neri Colmenares (Party-list, Bayan Muna) said using foul words against the
members of the Justice Committee will not reverse the situation.
"Her pronouncement that the proceeding is a farce and a moro-moro is demeaning t
o the Moro people. She must apologize to the Moro people for the use of the term
," Colmenares said.
Colmenares said Gutierrez has been given time to defend herself by the committee
, but the ombudsman chose to ignore the proceedings.
"The impeachment proceedings against Gutierrez is not a farce because as records
would attest the House Committee on Justice had even bent the rules of the Hous
e and had been liberal to her so as to accommodate her and so she can air her si
de," Colmenares said.
"The statement of Ombudsman Gutierrez is highly derogatory. It is politically in
correct and thoughtless. The Moro people should condemn her statement. She is ju
st being consistently insensitive," said Rep. Luz Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela).
"The language of Ombudsman Gutierrez is very insulting to our Muslim brothers an
d sisters. She is facing a serious matter here," Rep. Walden Bello (Party-list,
Akbayan) said.
"As the noose tightens around her neck she will try to do everything to loosen t
he noose. I don't think she will be able to get out of it. She will be impeached
. The impeachment train left the station and it's going to run over her," Bello
said.
Rep. Emi de Jesus (Party-list, Gabriela) said Gutierrez should appear before the
Justice Committee instead and answer the charges against her.
"The allegation that the proceeding is a moro-moro is uncalled for. The impeachm
ent case against her should be taken seriously," de Jesus said.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez said she will only take part in the impeachment trial in th
e Senate should the chamber approve the complaints, since she believes she will
get fair treatment from the senators.