Impeachment raps vs Merci now a go

MANILA,Philippines – The House Committee on Justice today paved the way for first the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez as members voted finding probable cause.

A total of 39 regular and ex-oficio members of the committee, chaired by Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas Jr., voted in favor of the motion finding probable cause to pursue the complaint filed by Akbayan group.

Tupas said that the Justice Committee ruling will now elevate the impeachment complaint against Gutierrez to the whole 283-member House of Representatives. The representatives will debate then vote later this month whether to impeach Gutierrez and send her to the Senate for trial.

Meanwhile, six have voted against the motion while Albay Rep. and minority floor leader Edcel Lagman abstained.

Lagman said he decided not to cast any vote because there has been no sufficient time to study and look over the voluminous documents regarding the impeachment case against Gutierrez.

The Justice Committee has to vote on two more impeachment complaints against the Ombudsman.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has denied Guitierrez's appeal to block the impeachment proceedings pushed by Congress against her. Voting 7-5-2-1, the magistrates junked the motion for reconsideration of the Ombudsman during a full court session this morning.

Two impeachment complaints were separately filed by then Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquiel and BAYAN secretary general Renato Reyes against Gutierrez, accusing the Ombudsman of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

Gutierrez has denied the allegation.

President Aquino has backed Gutierrez's impeachment, saying she has become an obstacle to his anti-graft battle.

Prosecutors named

The House Committee on Justice will be sending sending six members to prosecute Gutierrez when the impeachment case reaches Senate for trial.

Tupas said he already initially recommended congressmen Erin Tanada, Raul Daza, Rodolfo Farinas, Reynaldo Umali, Elpidio Barzaga, Neri Colminares and Kaka Bagao as part of the 11-man prosecutorial team. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte will name the rest of the team, he added.

Tupas said they hope to finish the plenary debate on Mar. 22 before the House adjourns on Mar. 24.

He added that they will prepare a draft committee report and articles of impeachment this week to be submitted to the plenary.

At least 94 out of the 282 congressmen should vote in favor of the submission to Senate during the plenary deliberations. - With AP