Ombudsman thanks Congress for junking impeachment raps

MANILA, Philippines - Officials of the Office of the Ombudsman expressed gratitude yesterday to the House of Representatives for the dismissal of the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez that they said was a “petty political obstacle” which only wasted the time of the people.

“The House decision (junking impeachment) gave a chance for everybody to move on without this petty political obstacle anymore wasting our time,” Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus Jr. said in a statement.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he was not surprised by the dismissal of the impeachment case of Gutierrez in the House of Representatives, which is dominated by allies of President Arroyo.

The House dismissed last Tuesday the impeachment complaint filed last March by concerned citizens led by former Senate president Jovito Salonga against Gutierrez for allegedly failing to file graft charges against officials of the Arroyo administration.

Salonga and 30 other civil society leaders charged Gutierrez with betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution in the handling of several controversies.

These include the Mega Pacific and corruption case against former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, the World Bank mess regarding the sanctioning of three Filipino construction firms over alleged bidding collusion, and the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

Gutierrez, a batch mate of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo at the Ateneo Law School, had denied the allegations.

The House committee on justice chaired by Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor declared the complaint against Gutierrez as sufficient in form but not in substance, which led to the dismissal of the impeachment case.

De Jesus said the impeachment process did not distract Gutierrez from doing her duty and fulfilling her mandate.

He said Gutierrez vowed to continue carrying out her mandate with the same zeal as when she first assumed her post in December 2005.

Lacson said the Arroyo administration has a track record of twisting legal procedures to protect its allies from constitutional sanctions, including impeachment.

He said Mrs. Arroyo herself benefited from such twisting of legal procedures, with her allies saving her from impeachment four times.

“If there’s one big accomplishment this administration has, it’s able to tire us all, the feeling of resignation prevalent not only among people but even us in the opposition. It’s very tiring. But we cannot afford to be tired,” he said.   – With Aurea Calica