PNoy: Merci welcome to testify vs Arroyo admin

Malacañang will welcome Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez should she support the Aquino government in exposing corruption during the previous Arroyo administration. In an ambush interview at the Palace's Rizal Hall on Tuesday, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III said: "If she testifies, I think [the government] will welcome the development." Aquino pointed out that the government does not intend to force anyone to testify against former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her alleged corrput practices. "We do not intend to force anybody. We think there are substantial pieces of evidence for numerous cases already present," the President said. Aquino kept his lips sealed when asked if Gutierrez can redeem herself should she spill the beans about corruption during the term of Aquino's predecessor. "Can I just leave judgment until such time that... we have the new Ombudsman who is actually preparing all of these cases?" Aquino said. GMA News Online has tried to contact Arroyo's spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn for comment but has received no reply yet as of posting time. On Friday, Gutierrez resigned as Ombudsman and announced that she will leave the post on May 6. Gutierrez is accused of sitting on several corruption cases against Arroyo, including the ZTE-NBN, the Euro Generals, and the fertilizer fund scam. Gutierrez served as Justice secretary in the Arroyo administration. She was named Ombudsman in December 2005. Gutierrez's decision to quit from her post came almost a month after Deputy Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni tendered his resignation. Jalandoni, who has been accused of usurpation of official functions and authority, earlier resigned to "spare the Office of the Ombudsman from further controversy." - with Andreo Calonzo, VVP, GMA News