House sets hearing on Gutierrez impeachment case

MANILA, Philippines – Members of the House of Representatives justice committee will hold a hearing next Tuesday to determine if the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is sufficient in form.

Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, committee chairman, assured Gutierrez of absolute impartiality in hearing the impeachment complaint against her.

“This I can assure the Ombudsman, we will give equal treatment to both the prosecution and defense,” he said.

“I think an impeachment complaint against the President or any other impeachable official should be treated equally.”

When the Ombudsman faces trial before the Senate, the presiding judge would be the Senate President, Defensor said.

The impeachment complaint accuses Gutierrez of “betrayal of public trust and gross and manifest incompetence to perform her duties,” borne out of the dismissal of some high-profile cases.

Former senator Jovito Salonga and the other 30 complainants said Gutierrez failed to prosecute those involved in the P1.3-billion Mega Pacific election computerization contract, that she showed gross and manifest incompetence in suspending Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas for two counts of malversation in 2005, and for holding Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia liable for plunder, falsification of public documents and malversation in November 2008. – Delon Porcalla