Ex-Senate chief Salonga to speak at Ombudsman impeach proceedings

MANILA, Philippines - Former Senate President Jovito Salonga is set to speak before the House committee on Justice when it resumes on Tuesday its deliberations on the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez. The veteran politician, who led 30 other civil society leaders in filing the complaint last March, is also set to lobby for more lawmakers to endorse the complaint, according to Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel. Baraquel is one of the complaint's 10 endorsers, which include Bayan Muna Representatives Teodoro Casiño and Satur Ocampo, Gabriela Representatives Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan, Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, and Cibac Representatives Joel Villanueva and Cinchona Cruz-Gonzales. The hearing has not begun as of posting time. Last week, the committee, which has 55 regular members, was not able to vote on the sufficiency in form of the complaint as only 23 members were present--five members short of the 28 needed to get an absolute majority. The failure to vote on the complaint prompted a number of lawmakers from the minority to claim that the Palace had marching orders to derail deliberations on the complaint against Gutierrez, who was a schoolmate of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo at the Ateneo Law School. Defensor denied the accusations, saying he merely wanted to follow the rules of impeachment. The 33-page complaint charges Gutierrez with betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution in the handling of several controversies. These include the Mega Pacific and corruption case against former Elections chair Benjamin Abalos Sr., the World Bank mess regarding the sanctioning of three Filipino construction firms over alleged collusion, and the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, among others. Gutierrez has repeatedly denied the allegations. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV