MANILA -- The House of Representatives on Tuesday night dismissed with finality the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

With an overwhelming 172 votes, the House declared as substantially insufficient the Committee on Justice report on the case while 15 voted against the approval of the report.

“Committee Report 2483 on House Resolution 1483 entitled Resolution to dismiss the verified complaint on the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Navarro Gutierrez for the alleged betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution is hereby dismissed,” said House Speaker Prospero Nograles.

Former senator Jovito Salonga led the filing of the case against the Ombudsman for its "inaction, mishandling, or downright dismissal" of the following cases:

1. P1.3 billion Mega-Pacific equipment purchase contract entered into by former Commission on Elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr., which was later voided by the Supreme Court.

2. The collusion and bid-rigging in a US$150 million World Bank-financed road project;

3. Extortion case against former Justice Secretary Hernando ‘Nani’ Perez;

4. P1 billion fertilizer fund anomaly involving former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante;

5. The case of former PNP comptroller Gen. Eliseo dela Paz, who was caught carrying 105,000 euros (P6.9 million), which exceeded the 3,000 euro limit for departing passengers in Moscow;

6. Arbitrary dismissal of Iloilo Governor Neil Tupas and Bataan Governor Enrique Garcia.

The votation on the matter was supposed to have been done last week but did not push though due to lack of quorum.

Aside from Salonga, other complainants in the case were Bayan Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, and Neri Colmenares; Gabriela Representatives Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan; Akbayan Representatives Walden Bello and Risa Hontiveros-Baraquiel; Representative Raymond Palatino (Kabataan); Anakpawis representatives Joel Maglunsod and Rafael Mariano, Representative Lorenzo Tañada III (Quezon, fourth district); and Cibac Representatives Cinchona Cruz-Gonzalez and Emmanuel Villanueva. (Angela Casauay/Sunnex)