By Ed Sitjar VERA Files Jeanne sat with her 2-month-old baby at a fastfood restaurant in a mall in Caloocan City, looking like a regular…
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When it rains, it pours.
After years of being protected by Gloria Arroyo’s Malacañang, House of Representatives,and Supreme Court, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is getting it from all directions.
Click on related documents:
Executive Summary Blue Ribbon report on Carlos Garcia Plea BargainAgreement
BLUE RIBBONCOMMITTEE REPORT Garcia plea bargain
Last Monday, the House Justice committee voted that there’s probable cause to impeach Gutierrez for betrayal of public trust on five cases at the same time that the Supreme Court denied with finality her motion for reconsideration to stop the House from proceeding with her impeachment.
The approval by the House Justice Committee of the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez shows momentum in the fight to make government officials accountable of their actions.
Thirty-nine of the 55 members of the Justice committee found there are “reasonable grounds that an impeachable offense has been committed “by Gutierrez and that she is “probably guilty” and that she should face trial.”
The committee voted on two complaints against Gutierrez. The first one was filed by Akbayan led by former Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel alleged that Gutierrez betrayed public trust as shown by the low conviction rates of the Office of the Ombudsman under her leadership; inaction on the $329.5 million controversial National Broadband Network-ZTE telecommunications deal; inaction on the 1995 death of Navy Ensign Phillip Pestaño.
In a vote of 39 out of 55 members, the House Committee on Justice found probable cause to impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.
Nine members voted against the motion and one, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, abstained.
In a related case, The Supreme Court dismissed with finality in a vote of 7-5-2, the motion for reconsideration of Gutierrez to stop the House from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against her.
Two names are prominently being mentioned: Edward Go and Alfonso Uy. Both are businessmen which is good because trade relations with China, the world’s economic superpower, is very important.
Go has extensive banking experience (Citibank, United Coconut Planters Bank , Philippine Bank of Communications, China Banking Corporation, Philippine Banking Corporation, Asian Bank). He holds directorship in more than 20 corporations among them the Philippine Long Distance Company and Metro Pacific Investments Corp, both headed by Manuel V. Pangilinan. It’s something that he has in common with the newly-appointed acting foreign secretary, Albert del Rosario, who was also with MPIC before he returned to foreign service two weeks ago.
Uy, an Ilonggo, is chairman of Philippine Foremost Milling Corporation and former president of the Federation of Filipino – Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII). Click here for Alfonso Uy Biodata
By Leilani Adriano and Bobby Labalan VERA Files Photos of most wanted criminals in Ilocos Norte are posted in public places, with the promise of…
May basehan si Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez kung bakit sa isip niya, mas pag-asang siyang mas may laban siya sa Senado kaysa sa House of Representatives sa impeachment na kanyang hinaharap.
Sa ngayon kasi, alam na ng mga kongresista na gusto ng Malacañang maalis si Gutierrez dahil walang mangyayari sa mga kaso ng kurakutan na sabi si Gloria Arroyo habang si Gutierrez ang Ombudsman. Alam naman natin sa House, kung ano ang kumpas ng Malacañang, kahit anong administrasyon, susunod yan dahil sa kanilang pork barrel. Itong klaseng impluwensya ng Malacañang ay maaring gamiting sa kabutihan, maa-aring ring gamiting sa masama katulad ng pagggamit ni Arroyo sa paghadlang ng katotohanan nang siya ang nasa Malacañang.
Ang Senado naman, talagang may kasaysayan din namang may sariling diskarte. Lalo pa ngayon na iilan lang ang kapartido ni Pangulong Aquino. Kaya nga ang senate president ay si Juan Ponce-Enrile na hindi kapartido ni Aquino dahil kulang sila sa numero.
Tinanong ni Sen. Franklin Drilon at Sen. Jinggoy Estrada ang representative ng Ombudsman sa hearing ng Blue Ribbon Committee na nagi-imbestiga ngayon ng plea bargain agreement kay dating military comptroller Carlos Garcia kung ano na ang nangyari sa kanilang pangako ng bawiin o ipahinto sa Sandiganbayan ang kontrobersyal na kasunduan.
Sagot ng kinatawan ng Ombudsman, “pinag-aaralan pa.”
Hindi ko nakuha ang pangalan ng Ombudsman dahil nagbrownout sa amin at lumipat ako sa radyo. Medyo inis ang dalawang senador dahil mag-iisang buwan na mula ng nangako sila na pag-aaralan ang pagbawi ng plea bargain agreement halatang namang talong-talo ang mamamayang Pilipino. Biruin mo sa P303 milyon na nahuling nakaw na yaman ni Garcia, pumayag ang Ombudsman na P135 lang ang ibalik. Pwedeng nang itago ni Garcia ang P168 milyon.
Related report:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110305-323560/China-snubs-PH-protest
The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest Thursday with China over the intrusion of two Chinese patrol boats Wednesday into Reed Bank in Western Palawan where a seismic survey is being conducted by the Department of Energy.
A text message from Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said: “I confirm the incident on March 2, 2011 (that) two Chinese patrol boats encountered a Phil-sanctioned vessel conducting seismic surveys in the Western Palawan. The Chinese boats warned the vessel away and the vessel moved away from its position.
“We have sought an explanation from the Chinese Embassy regarding the matter. The vessel is expected to resume its normal activities in a few days.”
The Chinese Embassy, through its spokesperson Ethan Y. Sun, issued the following statement Friday:
I noted the related report. What I want to point out is that, ever since ancient times, China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters. China has been consistently sticking to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Chinese side maintains that the related disputes should be resolved through peaceful negotiations. Thank you and have a nice day.
Until the House committee on justice voted (41-12) last Tuesday that the two impeachment complaints against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez have sufficient grounds, Gloria Arroyo and her family had reasons to be confident that they would get away with the crimes she committed against the Filipino people.
I seriously doubt if she is as confident now.
The impeachment complaint against Gutierrez still has to go through another voting in the committee level. It needs one third of the House members (94 out of 283) to have it passed and bring to the Senate.
But once it gets to the Senate, Gutierrez is in trouble. Sentiments against her in the light of the controversial plea bargain her office entered into with former military comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia are high among most of the senators. Even if that particular issue is not included in the complaint, that would be a factor in the decision of the senators.