Impeachment complaint filed vs Ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines - Former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros yesterday filed an impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for allegedly failing to act on the corruption and human rights violation cases filed against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.   

Hontiveros also accused Gutierrez of sitting on the 15-year-old murder case involving a Philippine Navy ensign. The complaint, filed with former Army general Danilo Lim and Felipe Pestaño, was endorsed by Akbayan representatives Kaka Bag-ao and Walden Bello.     

The complainants, represented by lawyer Ibarra Gutierrez, filed the complaint before House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap past 3 p.m.

“Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has consistently blocked remedies provided by our laws and our Constitution to prevent abuses by public officials. The Ombudsman is supposed to be the protector of the people, the guardian of integrity, but (what) Gutierrez did was to reduce the institution to the gatekeeper of the corrupt,” Hontiveros said.

Grounds for conviction cited by the complainants include the low conviction rate of the Office of the Ombudsman since 2008; failure to act on cases filed against the Arroyos regarding the cancelled $329-million national broadband network deal; and the decision of the Ombudsman to uphold the legality of the arrest and detention of Hontiveros at the height of the “Hello, Garci” controversy.

Former special prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio, who was administratively charged by Gutierrez, urged the Ombudsman to resign to avoid the embarrassment of the impeachment process. “The best thing she could do is to resign. That would be her legacy and she can save whatever is left of her reputation and image,” he said.       

Hontiveros expressed optimism that the complaint would prosper under the Aquino administration.         

Gutierrez had maintained there are no grounds for her to be impeached.  Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Jose de Jesus Jr. said Gutierrez is ready to face the allegations against her.    

“The Ombudsman cannot prevent her detractors from filing such complaint,” he said. “But while it is their right to do so, it is also equally the right of the Ombudsman to assail to the whole world the fallacy and folly of the same.” – With Michael Punongbayan