'Stand up to the challenge' of impeaching Merci, House told

"Stand up to the challenge" of impeaching Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to make her accountable of her alleged wrongdoings, Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas Jr. urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives. Tupas, the chair of the House justice committee, asserted that his committee followed due process in deliberating the impeachment complaints against Gutierrez. Tupas said in his sponsorship speech that the complaints against the Gutierrez underwent “every procedure" needed to send them to the House plenary. “This is the product of complete impeachment proceedings. Despite initial setbacks and difficulties experienced by the House committee, no shortcuts were taken and every procedure was observed," he said. The committee earlier determined the sufficiency of form and substance, sufficient grounds and probable cause of the Ombudsman’s case, as stated in the chamber’s rules of impeachment. Gutierrez is being accused of betrayal of public trust for the supposedly low conviction rates of the Office of the Ombudsman under her term, and for her alleged inaction in five high-profile cases. The House is expected to vote this week on whether to impeach Gutierrez and send the articles of impeachment to the Senate, where she would be tried. If found guilty, she could be ordered to step down. The House is expected to impeach her, setting the stage for a test of the persuasive powers of President Aquino's allies in the House, several of whom will serve as prosecutors for the Senate trial. President Joseph Estrada was the last official to be tried in the Senate, in 2001. But the trial ended when his allies stopped the presentation of key evidence, triggering the protests and military defections that eventually forced Estrada to vacate the presidency. 'Give Ombudsman her day in court' Deputy Speaker Rep. Raul Daza of Northern Samar meanwhile reminded House members that they are not out to determine Gutierrez’s guilt, which he said is the responsibility of the Senate. “We need not be convinced that the Ombudsman is guilty of betrayal of public trust. An honest and strong suspicion is enough," he said in his sponsorship speech. Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, for his part, called on his colleagues to approve the impeachment case against Gutierrez “to give the Ombudsman her day in court." “Siya na rin po mismo ang nagsabi sa atin na handa siyang humarap sa Senado. Kaya let’s bring it on," he said in his speech. Deputy Speaker Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada was delivering the last sponsorship speech on Gutierrez’s case as of posting time. Under Section 3, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the impeachment case against the Ombudsman will have to get a one-third vote of all House members— in this case, 95 affirmative votes— before it can be transmitted to the Senate for trial. - KBK, GMA News