Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson yesterday said that Ombudsman 
Merceditas Gutierrez, facing an impeachment case, should go on leave not only to gain more time to prepare her defense but also to show her sense of delicadeza (propriety).
Also yesterday, five party-list representatives – Bayan Muna’s Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño – Gabriela’s Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan, and Anakpawis’ Rafael Mariano – endorsed the impeachment complaint, but there were fears that a number of other congressmen would think twice about endorsing it for fear of retaliation from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, chair of the House committee on justice that will handle the complaint, said it was up to the congressmen with pending cases at Gutierrez’s office to inhibit themselves from the case.
“It’s a personal decision,” Defensor said.
The Arroyo administration has been accused of using the Office of the Ombudsman as a “stick to keep congressmen in line should the “carrot” in the form of pork barrel allocations prove insufficient to ensure their loyalty.
Casino told reporters that it would be better for Gutierrez to take a leave rather than have the congressmen with pending cases in her office inhibit themselves.
He said Gutierrez should be chided for her purported arrogance and uncouth manner in disparaging her accusers, instead of answering their charges.
Ocampo said he was worried that Malacañang would use its influence to shoot down the impeachment complaint, the way it did, he said, with the four impeachment cases filed against Ms Arroyo in the last four years.
Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros Baraquel, who endorsed the complaint on Monday, said Gutierrez should stop making legal threats against her accusers and instead focus on pursuing cases against corrupt officials.
Baraquel said that while she was optimistic that more of her colleagues would endorse the complaint, it could fail like the impeachment cases against the President.
“Even if we fail to get the support of one –third of the House members, we are very much ready to debate this in the justice committee,” she said.
Gutierrez had claimed that the complaint was triggered by the Ombudsman’s case against former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta, an LP member.
In a statement, Acosta said he was among those who had gathered the signatures in the complaint but that he backed out at the last minute in order not to politicize the issue.
Merceditas Gutierrez, facing an impeachment case, should go on leave not only to gain more time to prepare her defense but also to show her sense of delicadeza (propriety).Also yesterday, five party-list representatives – Bayan Muna’s Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño – Gabriela’s Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan, and Anakpawis’ Rafael Mariano – endorsed the impeachment complaint, but there were fears that a number of other congressmen would think twice about endorsing it for fear of retaliation from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, chair of the House committee on justice that will handle the complaint, said it was up to the congressmen with pending cases at Gutierrez’s office to inhibit themselves from the case.
“It’s a personal decision,” Defensor said.
The Arroyo administration has been accused of using the Office of the Ombudsman as a “stick to keep congressmen in line should the “carrot” in the form of pork barrel allocations prove insufficient to ensure their loyalty.
Casino told reporters that it would be better for Gutierrez to take a leave rather than have the congressmen with pending cases in her office inhibit themselves.
He said Gutierrez should be chided for her purported arrogance and uncouth manner in disparaging her accusers, instead of answering their charges.
Ocampo said he was worried that Malacañang would use its influence to shoot down the impeachment complaint, the way it did, he said, with the four impeachment cases filed against Ms Arroyo in the last four years.
Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros Baraquel, who endorsed the complaint on Monday, said Gutierrez should stop making legal threats against her accusers and instead focus on pursuing cases against corrupt officials.
Baraquel said that while she was optimistic that more of her colleagues would endorse the complaint, it could fail like the impeachment cases against the President.
“Even if we fail to get the support of one –third of the House members, we are very much ready to debate this in the justice committee,” she said.
Gutierrez had claimed that the complaint was triggered by the Ombudsman’s case against former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta, an LP member.
In a statement, Acosta said he was among those who had gathered the signatures in the complaint but that he backed out at the last minute in order not to politicize the issue.
Philippine Daily INQUIRER
March 4, 2009
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