Ombudsman Gutierrez says she will not resign

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez will stick to her position despite growing calls for her resignation, the second impeachment complaint set to be filed against her, and the Aquino administration’s skepticism toward her resolve. At a press briefing Monday, Gutierrez said she intends to complete her fixed seven-year term as Ombudsman, which will end on December 2012. She was appointed on December 2005 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to whom she allegedly has close ties. “Like many Constitutional officials, the Ombudsman has a fixed term and can be removed only by impeachment. The Constitution enumerates the specific grounds for impeachment. Alleged closeness to the appointing authority is not one of them," she said. Gutierrez was a batch mate of Arroyo's husband, Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, who was also implicated in some of the controversies that hounded his wife's rocky nine-year rule, at the Ateneo Law School.

The press briefing was held a day after party-list group Akbayan said it is preparing an impeachment complaint against Gutierrez for her supposed inaction on the controversies involving now Pampanga Rep. Arroyo. Militant groups have been calling for Gutierrez’s resignation over the same reason. Last week, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said they are mulling legal options to ease Gutierrez out of her position. Challenge Gutierrez said she is considering all these as a challenge. “I’m not giving in to the pressure. Kung ano ang sabihin nila (whatever they say) I’ll take it as a challenge. Wag lang personal, maaapektuhan ang aking pamilya (As long as it is not personal because it will affect my family)," she said. She, however, appealed to her detractors to be fair and take into consideration the positive actions that she has been doing in her office. “Tao rin ako na nasasaktan, of course, I have feelings. Pero sana maging fair naman ang aking mga detractors. Huwag naman yung mga negative ang nakikita natin. Yung mga positive sana makita naman nila," she said. (As a human being I get affected by criticisms, so I hope my detractors will be fair. I hope they will consider not only the negative things I may have done but also the positive.) She said her conscience is clear in her almost three decades in government service. “I’ve been in the government for almost 28 years, but I was never involved in any anomaly. Hindi po ako corrupt, yun po ang maipagmamalaki ko sa inyo. Kahit isa sentimo wala po akong ninakaw sa kaban ng ating bayan (I’m not a corrupt official and I’m proud to say that I haven’t stolen anything from the government)," Gutierrez said. Truth Commission The embattled Ombudsman said she believes President Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III will not pressure her in respect to the Office of the Ombudsman being an independent office. At the same press conference, Gutierrez expressed her full support to the Truth Commission, the soon-to-be-created independent panel that will probe unresolved corruption controversies in the Arroyo administration. “I have full faith in the competence, integrity, independence and impartiality of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide. The Office of the Ombudsman will extend full appropriate assistance and cooperation to the Truth Commission in carrying out its mandate," she said. Davide will head the commission once it is created. - KBK, GMANews.TV