MANILA –- Voting 7-5-2, the Supreme Court (SC) denied the petition of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to stop the impeachment proceedings against her, thereby allowing the House of Representatives to continue with its impeachment hearings.
The High Tribunal on Tuesday lifted the status quo ante order it issued on the House justice committee after Gutierrez argued that the law allows only one impeachment complaint against the Ombudsman in a span of one year.
To recall, two complaints were filed against Gutierrez last year – one filed by former Akbayan Risa Hontiveros and the other filed by progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).
Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes said they welcome the dismissal of the petition of Gutierrez and that they look forward to presenting the evidence before the House justice committee.
“We need the impeachment to proceed, especially now that there are allegations of gross corruption and when the Ombudsman has failed to uphold its mandate of going after corrupt government officials, as shown in the Garcia plea bargain,” Reyes said in a text message.
Last year, the House justice committee already found the two impeachment complaints, which may be consolidated, to be sufficient in form and substance.
House justice committee vice-chair and Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Farinas said that once the SC decision becomes final, the 10-day period given to Ombudsman Gutierrez to answer the two impeachment complaints against her will run.
“After she submits her answer or if she fails to answer within that period, the committee on justice will then vote whether or not there is probable cause to proceed with the investigation of the complaint/s where we will hear the parties and their witnesses,” he said in a text message. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)